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THE LAND OF THE RISING SUN 



THE LAND OF 
THE RISING SUN 



""OV-t 



BY 



GREGOIRE DE WOLLANT 



TRANSLATED FROM THE RUSSIAN BY 

THE AUTHOR, WITH THE ASSISTANCE 

OF MADAME DE WOLLANT 



iCll 



NEW YORK AND WASHINGTON 

THE NEALE PUBLISHING COMPANY 
1905 






Two OopiBs rtecBiveu 

JUL 27 iyU5 



COPYRIGHT, 1905 
BY SARAH F. TISDEL 



I CONTENTS 

^ PART FIRST 

^^ PRELIMINARY REMARKS 

_A Chapter I 

^ Soil — Geological structure — Volcanoes — Earthquakes — Min- 
^ erals — Climate — Tj'phoons — Flora — Fauna 9 

^ historical sketch 

^ Chapter II 

Origin of the Japanese — The Koro-pok-guru or Tzutzi 
Gumo (spider-people) — The Ainos — Malay or Mon- 
golians ? — Archeological discoveries 14 

Chapter III 
Prehistoric condition of the Japanese as represented by the 
ancient Chronicles, Ko-ji-ki 22 

» Chapter IV 
Cosmogony of the Japanese — Shintoism 26 
Chapter V 
Beginning of Japanese history — Legendary Emperors 
— Invasions of Korea — Buddhism — Feudalism — War 
dictatorship — The Fujiwaras, Minamotos, Kiyomori — 
Yoritomo — The power of the Emperors (Mikado) 
passes on account of their incapacity into the hands 
of the war dictators (maire de palais) or the Shoguns 
— Kublai-Khan — Emperor Godaigo — Domination of 
the Ashikaga family 33 

Chapter VI 
The first arrival of Europeans — The first missionaries — 
Nobunaga — Hideyoshi — lyeyasu of the house of To- 
kugawa — Persecutions of Christians — War with China. 42 

Chapter VII 
Nominal power of the Emperor, living in Kyoto, passes in 
reality to the Shoguns (Taikuns) of the Tokugawa 
family, who had their capital in Tokyo (former Yeddo) 
— Persecutions of Christians — Christian uprising in 
Shimabara and their extermination in Japan — Clos- 
ing of Japan during two centuries, under the regime of 
Tokugawa 61 



6 CONTENTS 

Chapter VIII 
Awakening of Japan — Appearance of Europeans — Agita- 
tion against foreigners — Fermentation — Restoration of 
Imperial power — Civil war finishes by the defeat of 
the followers of the Shogun, who retires to a monastery 72 
Chapter IX 
The now reigning Emperor convokes something like a par- 
liament — New movement — Reforms — The revolt of 
Satsuma — Promulgation of Constitution — First day of 
the Japanese Parliament — War with China — Abolition 

of consular jurisdiction 82 

Chapter X 
Condition of religion in Japan — Chances of Christianity. .. 96 

PART SECOND 

personal impressions 

Chapter XI 

First day in Japan — Kotie — European quarter — Hiogo — 

Jinriksha — Street life — ^Japanese houses — Hot springs 

of Arima — Temple of Ikutonomiya — Monument to Ki- 

yomori — Osaka — Nara — Statue of Buddha loi 

Chapter XII 
Old capital of Japan — Industrial exhibition — Jubilee — 
Miako odori — The two thousand-year-old tree in Ka- 

rasaki — Arashi Yama 117 

Chapter XIII 
Nagoya — The Shogun's palace at Nagoya — European set- 
tlement in Yokohama — Rivalry of English and Ger- 
mans — O Kin San dancers and singers — Siro or citadel 
in Tokyo — Yashiki or palaces of the feudal lords — 
Ministries — The Russian and English Legations — The 

Orthodox church — Bishop Nicholas 134 

Chapter XIV 
Street life in Tokyo — Nakadori — Asakusa — Tokyo high 

life — Imperial family 146 

Chapter XV 
The reception-day of the Marchioness Ito — The chrysan- 
themum (kiku) festival at the suburban palace — New 
year's celebration in Tokyo — Cha-no-yu — Fires 155 

IN northern japan 
Chapter XVI 
Yusen Kaisha Company — Oginohama — Hakodate Hospi- 
tal — Russian mission — Colonial Ministry — Fisheries — 
Fencing — Wrestlers — Nanai farm 165 



CONTENTS 7 

Chapter XVII 
Mori — Mororan — The daimio of Sendai and his samurais 
— Soldiers' settlements — Ainu — Their home hfe — Japa- 
nese Chicago — A ceremonious Japanese dinner — Poru- 
nai mines and a penitentiary colony — As guest in a 
Japanese house 1 75 

Chapter XVIII 
From Aomori to Tokyo — Reception by the Governor of 
Morioka — Women wrestlers — A dinner in the old 
ceremonial style — Nikko 193 

Chapter XIX 
In the mountains of Japan — European Olympia — Pilgrims 
to Chiuzenji — Through the mountains on foot — The 
joyful town — Ascent of the volcano Asama Yama — 
Miyanoshita — With the Japanese pilgrims to the holy 
mountain 205 

IN southern japan 
Chapter XX 
The role of Nagasaki in Japan's enlightenment — Euro- 
pean settlement — Arrival of the Prime Minister — 
Japanese auction 224 

Chapter XXI 
Trip to the island of Kiushiu — A new way of locomotion — 
Kagoshima, residence of the Satsuma prince — Ancient 
war-dance — Kumamoto and the Governor — The cour- 
tesan quarter — Ascent of the volcano Aso-San — 
Shimabara, the last stronghold of Christianity 232 

Chapter XXII 
Popular festivals in Nagasaki — Kompira sama — Bon Mat- 
suri, or the festival of the dead — Ninth-month Matsuri 
before the temple of Osuwa 252 

Chapter XXIII 
How the Dutch traveled from Nagasaki to Tokyo — Kjemp- 
fer — Omura — Sasebo — Political meeting and a lottery 
Miyajima, Happy Island, where death is banished.... 262 

Chapter XXIV 
Japanese family life — Birth — Sad fate of women — Marriage 

— Adoption — Divorce — Hara-kiri — Funeral of a prince 274 

Chapter XXV 
Various Japanese customs — Tattooing — Massage — Moksa 
Acupunctura — Jiujitsu — Superstitious beliefs and for- 
tune-telling 287 



8 CONTENTS 

PART THIRD 

Chapter XXVI 
Language — Written language — Inconvenience of Chinese 
influence — Popular instruction — Press — Literature — 
Novels and popular literature — New tendencies 293 

Chapter XXVII 
Japanese theatre — Origin of the theatre — Comedy — Drama 
— Character of Japanese dramatic art — Celebrated 
actors — "No" in the Mikado's palace 310 

Chapter XXVIII 
Architecture — Art — Sculpture — Painting — Decorative art 

(ceramic, enamel, bronze) 327 

PART FOURTH 

ECONOMICAL AND FINANCIAL SITUATION OF JAPAN 

Chapter XXIX 

Agriculture — Forestry — Fisheries — Mineral wealth 339 

Chapter XXX 
Manufactures and trade — Banking and stock corporations 

— Railroads — Merchant fleet 346 

Chapter XXXI 
Foreign trade — Finances — Gold standard — The budget for 
the last years — Expenses for army and fleet — Public 
debt — Taxes 352 

Chapter XXXII 
Labor problem 358 

PART FIFTH 

INTERNAL AND FOREIGN POLICY 

Chapter XXXIII 
The working of the Constitution — The leading men of 
Japan — Parties and their aspirations 361 

Chapter XXXIV 
Foreign policy — War with China — Revision of treaties — 
What did the new - treaties give to the foreigners — 
Korean events — Boxer troubles — War with Russia 
and its consequences Z^^ 

CHAPTER XXXV 
Conclusions 390 



PART FIRST 

PRELIMINARY REMARKS 
Chapter I 

Soil — Geological structure — Volcanoes — Earthquakes — Min- 
erals — Climate — Typhoons — Flora — Fauna. 

The Japanese Archipelago or Dai-Nippon 
(Nihon) stretches like three garlands of a vine along 
the coasts of Siberia and northern China. 

Containing formerly more than 3,800 islands, the 
largest of which are Yezo or Hokaido, Hondo or 
Nippon, Shikoku, Oki, Loochoo and Formosa, the 
Japanese Empire covers an area of 161,119 square 
miles, with a population of 46,540,754. The Japan- 
ese group of islands probably formed a part of the 
mainland of Asia, as shown by the fact that the 
coasts toward Asia slope with a slight, almost im- 
perceptible, incline to the mainland, while the Pa- 
cific coast sinks abruptly to a great depth. The 
soundings of the Japanese Sea do not exceed 3,500 
meters at its greatest depths, and the outline con- 
figuration of the islands stretching like stepping- 
stones from Japan to Korea tend to confirm the sup- 
position of the former connection of Japan with the 
mainland, while the depth on the east coast of Japan 
reaches 8,515 meters (the height of the Himalayas). 



10 The Land of the Rising Sun 

Two-thirds of the surface of Japan is mountainous 
and indicates a volcanic origin, and at present there 
are many active volcanoes. Many of the highest 
peaks were active volcanoes not long ago, for in- 
stance the last eruption of Fuji Yama occurred in 
1708, and every one remembers the eruption of the 
extinct volcano Bandai San a few years ago. The 
abundance of hot springs, geysers, frequent earth- 
quakes (in the year 1855, 104,000 persons perished 
in Tokyo and 14,241 houses were destroyed), the 
tidal waves engulfing thousands of victims — all 
prove that the volcanic activity has not ceased at the 
present time. 

In regard to material wealth, already in the time 
of Genghi Khan Japan was renowned for its abund- 
ance of gold and silver, and Japanese copper — 
thanks to the admixture of gold — formed the prin- 
cipal article of export of the Dutch in Dezima. Be- 
sides, there are sulphur, lead, iron, very rich coal 
fields (in Kiushiu and Yezo), and petroleum. 
Stretching from Kamchatka to South China, Japan 
possesses a great diversity of climate. The rigor- 
ous cold of the Kurile Islands is in manifest con- 
trast to the soft warmth of the south, with its orange 
groves, pineapples, bananas and sugar cane. The 
climate is a reflection of that of the neighboring 
mainland, with hot, damp summers and cold, clear 
winters ; but these conditions are tempered by the sea 
and especially by the equatorial current called the 
Kuro Sivo, which produces in Japan a fresher 
summer and a more clement and damp winter than 
on the mainland. Thanks to the change of the 
monsoons, the central part of Japan enjoys a com- 



The Land of the Rising Sun 11 

paratively healthy temperature. Decidedly the best 
seasons are the autumn and winter with their clear 
days and invigorating air. The spring brings 
rains, and whole weeks without the sight of the 
sun, varied, however, by bright days. The summer 
temperature does not rise above 36 (Reom.) but 
the heat is so charged with humidity that it is like 
a continual steam bath, which is very debilitating 
to Europeans, who after a lengthy stay in Japan 
suffer from anaemia and bad liver. At this season 
there is a general exodus to the mountains in search 
of a more invigorating atmosphere. 

In order to complete this picture one must say a 
word about the cyclones or typhoons (Japanese 
great winds) which sweep with tremendously de- 
structive force over the sea and coast. Only he who 
has seen such storms can believe when he hears of 
ships being cast far up on the beach, of great build- 
ings converted into ruins, and massive granite 
quays lifted by the waves to a height of several 
yards. 

The familiarity of all with the richness and va- 
riety of Japanese flora is due to the fact that the 
first travelers in the country, beginning with Kaemp- 
fer, were botanists. Owing to the moisture of the 
atmosphere the luxurious subtropical vegetation — 
bamboo, palms, camellias and laurel — are found side 
by side with the vegetation of the north. Abund- 
ant rains in the summer give two harvests to the 
agriculturist of the south. 

The fruit trees, such as the cherry, are used more 
for decorative purposes than for the fruit. The 
blossoming of the cherry trees, beginning in April, 



12 The Land of the Rising Sun 

is a veritable feast for the eye. In May the whole 
world goes to gaze on the mass of blooming wistaria, 
peonies, and azaleas. In this month, according to 
the climate, begins the planting of the rice. 

In September the brilliant color effects of the for- 
ests are beautiful beyond description. The varied 
hues of the changing maple, wild grape vine, cherry, 
prune, Rhus toxicodendron, Acer polimorphum, and 
birch, shading from the darkest purples and browns 
to the brightest reds and yellows, throw their beauty 
in high relief against the dark background of the 
subtropical vegetation. In November begins the 
flowering of different varieties of camellias, Aralia 
Japonica, Thea Chinensis, and' others. These won- 
derful landscape effects have had much to do with 
the high artistic temperament of the Japanese, who 
feel the beauty of nature and find in her ever new 
and higher inspiration. 

As for wild animals, there exist only the bear (in 
the mountains of the north), the wolf, the fox — ■- 
which plays a great role in Japanese folk-lore — the 
wild boar, the monkey, etc. There are many insects, 
and especially disagreeable are the mosquitoes. 
Among the birds of prey are eagles, falcons, and 
vultures. There are sparrows, swallows, Japanese 
nightingales, and the common stork, which figures 
in all Japanese pictures. The hunter finds the elk, 
hare, pheasants, snipe, and wild duck. The sea is 
filled with fish, of which the best known is the Tai 
(Serramus marginalis), with its white and delicate 
meat, and in the south the sea teems with jelly-fish. 
Domestic animals, such as the dog, ox, horse, sheep, 
and goat, came originally from China. Until the 



The Land of the Rising Sun 13 

arrival of Europeans the horned cattle were used 
only as beasts of burden. The Japanese did not 
consume meat and despised milk products. As for 
fertilizers, the Japanese have used from time im- 
memorial fish manure, human and other excrements, 
which they collect in wells or pits in the fields, and 
which fill the air with obnoxious odors at the season 
when it is brought forth to be poured over the rice 
fields. 

Sheep culture in Japan is still in its infancy. 
Formerly Japan was renowned for its silk industry. 
The abundance of cotton explains the fact that 
woolen material is mostly imported, and only of late 
impulse has been given by the Government to the 
manufacture of woolen goods. In a few lines I have 
given the principal characteristics of the country, 
the field of action of the Japanese people. 

Now let us glance at its history. 



HISTORICAL SKETCH 
Chapter II 

Origin of the Japanese — The Koro-pok-guru or Tzutzi Gumo 
(spider-people) — The Ainos — Malay or Mongolian? — 
Archeological discoveries. 

The history of Japan should begin with the ques- 
tion of the origin of the Japanese. Were they abor- 
igines of the country or invaders who found there a 
more ancient race ? To what race do the Japanese 
belong and where was their original home? In 
the Ko-ji-ki (ancient Chronicles of Japan) the fabu- 
lous element is so predominant that it is difficult for 
the historian to separate fiction from reality. Ko-ji-ki 
(711 A. D.) describes events of the eighth century 
B, C. from cosmogony passes to the descendant of 
the Sun Goddess Jimmu Tenno, the founder of the 
reigning dynasty. Jimmu Tenno and his descend- 
ants, whose reigns sometimes extended over a hun- 
dred years, have a mythical character, but in myths 
there must be a grain of historical truth. Ko-ji-ki 
tells of the arrival of Jimmu in Japan at the head of 
an army. The audacious conqueror was not stopped 
by the storms on the sea or by the sickness of his 
warriors. In this history Jimmu is represented un- 
der the aspect of a valorous Norman viking, or 
rather a sea pirate such as abounded in China. The 



The Land of the Rising Sun 1 5 

warriors of Jimmu had to fight the Tzutzi Gumo 
(land spiders), who Hved in inaccessible places, and 
his descendants continued this warfare with a north- 
ern race called Yezo, yebissi, yemissi. In these 
northern tribe one easily recognizes the Ainos, who 
in olden times were in possession not only of Yezo 
but of the island of Nippon. Many geographical 
names clearly demonstrate their Aino origin. 

Professor Chamberlain traced Aino names in 
eight provinces, proving that the Aino reached to the 
south of Japan and went as far as Kiushiu. 

The inhabitants of the island of Oshima, not far 
from the capital of the empire, according to Deoder- 
lein, are easily distinguishable from the Japanese 
type by the abundant growth of hair on the face, and 
they resemble very much the Aino. Women of Osh- 
ima tattoo themselves even at the present time. The 
historical "Chronicle of Nihongi" (720 A. D.) says 
that during the reign of Keiko the general Take-no- 
utzi returned from the land of the Aino. In 658 A. 
D. the Japanese fleet, composed of one hundred and 
eighty junks, fell on the Ainos living on the west- 
ern part of the main island Nippon. About this 
time a couple of Ainos, as types of hairy people, 
were sent as a great curiosity to the Chinese em- 
peror. The Chinese historians of the Khan dynasty 
already speak of the Ainos as a hairy people living 
beyond the eastern sea. In the year 801 A. D. the 
Japanese General Tamura Maru conquered the 
Ainos on the eastern part of Nippon. The last ex- 
pedition was in 811 A. D. The Ainos, pushed to the 
north by the Japanese, submitted to their conquer- 
ors and mingled with them. The Japanese, as seen 



16 The Land o£ the Rising Sun 

by these facts, can not be called the primitive race 
of the country. On the contrary everything proves 
that they encountered great resistance on the part 
of the alien races, of which the Ainos occupied the 
first place. The origin of the Ainos, notwithstand- 
ing the numerous researches, remains still an un- 
solved question. The study of the Japanese and 
Aino language shows that they have nothing in 
common, in spite of frequent borrowing from each 
other. A similarity exists between the Aino and 
the language of the inhabitants of Kamchatka and 
Amur country. The Giliaks, like the Ainos, consider 
the bear a divinity and celebrate a festival in his 
honor. Siebold ("Nippon," VI, pt. 222) gives the 
information of the Japanese traveler Mamia Rinso 
that in the vicinity of De Castrie exist tribes called 
Simo-Aino, Aino, and Menassi-Aino. 

Other investigators, like Peschel, think that the 
Ainos did not come from the north but from the 
Philippines. Among the Ainos themselves exists 
a tradition that their forefathers came from the 
northeast islands (Kurile). According to this tra- 
dition they found in Japan a nation of dwarfs, 
called Koro-pok-guru, living in round pits which 
they dug in the earth and covered with roofs of 
bark. They were clothed in skins, used stone imple- 
ments, and knew how to make pottery. The Japan- 
ese chronicle speaks several times of earth spiders 
or people living in the earth. The Japanese called 
them also Kobito (small people) or dwarfs. Thus 
the Japanese testimony coincides with the oral tra- 
dition of the Ainos, who have no written language. 
The Aino tradition speaks of these dwarfs as being 



The Land of the Rising Sun 17 

very numerous, but that they were annihilated by 
the Ainos. 

The archeological discoveries seem to confirm 
these traditions. Everywhere in Japan, beginning 
with northern Yezo down to Kiushiu, are found 
what is known in science as Kjokkenmoddings ; 
that is, heaps of shells with stone implements and 
broken pottery. These discoveries were made in 
caves and round pits, which served as dwellings. 
According to Milne (Trans, of the Asiatic Society 
of Japan, VIII, pt. I), in Otarunai, Hakodate, and 
in Nippon these pits or earth dwellings were of a 
perfectly round form, about eight feet in diameter 
and three feet deep, and constructed with a certain 
regularity. Near the pits were found a great quan- 
tity of roughly made stone arrows of obsidian and 
jasper, polished axes of slate, earth, pottery, and 
kitchen remains. In the stone implements there is 
a difference noticeable between those found in Hako- 
date and Otarunai. In the latter place they are more 
highly polished. In the kitchen rests were found 
shells, together with bits of broken pottery, and 
broken bones, implements of horn and stone, and 
other articles serving as ornaments. 

Professor Morse, comparing these shells, found 
that in comparison with those of to-day there is a 
great change — many of these species are more num- 
erous, many have disappeared altogether, and some 
species have grown larger in size. The earthen- 
ware is adorned with drawings ; and bones of fish, 
birds, monkeys, deer, dogs, wolves, and pigs were 
found in the heaps. In some places the presence of 
human bones points to cannibalism. 



18 The Land of the Rising Sun 

These pits are often arranged in regular lines 
along the banks of a stream, forming something of 
a fortified position or fortress, and some of them 
occupy inaccessible positions on the mountains. In 
some of these pits were found' black earth and sand, 
and mixed with it were pieces of coal and pieces of 
burnt earth, which indicates a hearth in the center. 
Stone implements in the form of arrows, missiles, 
and hammers were found in great quantities. It 
is very probable that two thousand years ago bloody 
battles were fought in these places. 

The hairy Ainos came here from the mouth of the 
river in their canoes, made of hollowed trunks of 
trees. They had to take by assault the heights, 
which were occupied by this unknown race. Mis- 
siles and arrows flew in clouds against the besieg- 
ing Ainos, but they were on their guard, and tak- 
ing one entrenchment after another chased the 
frightened Koro-pok-guru to the mountains. The 
same pits and similar archeological findings are met 
in the Kurile Islands and the Amur region. To 
what nation belonged these kitchen rests ? Certainly 
not to the Manchu kingdom of Bohai, which the 
Chinese historians speak of as being a flourishing 
country on the shores of the eastern sea. To this 
people may belong those monuments of a higher civ- 
ilization, discovered by Busse in the Amur region. 
The kitchen remains, and pit dwellings found in 
Japan, in Saghalien and on the Amur, denote the 
primitive inhabitant who has only passed into^ the 
neolithic period of history. On such low plane one 
finds at present the Koriaks in Ghijighinsk men- 
tioned by Ressin ("Sketches of Tribes on the Rus- 
sian Coast of the Pacific Ocean") as living in pits. 



The Land of the Rising Sun 19 

From all these facts the following conclusions can 
be made: i. Archeological discoveries confirm the 
traditions of the Japanese and Ainos of the exist- 
ence in Japan of a numerous people anterior to the 
Japanese; 2. The culture of these Koro-pok-guru 
living in caves and pits like those actually existing 
of the neolithic period of the stone age; 3. The 
kitchen remains, stone implements, found simulta- 
neously in Japan, and in Saghalien and the Amur 
region, show that a similar culture reigned in all 
these countries ; 4. That the Japanese and the Ainos 
were not the aborigines of the country. The Ainos 
probably found in Yezo and in other parts of Japan 
the aborigines, conquered them, and later they in 
turn were driven by the Japanese to the north, 
where they live to the present time. Now the ques- 
tion to be decided is of the origin of the Japanese 
themselves. This question has been examined from 
an archeological standpoint by Siebold, from a zoo- 
logical by Blackstone, from a geological by Milne, 
from a philological by Parker, and from an anthrop- 
ological by Baelz. 

Dr. Baelz ("Korperliche Eigensschaften der 
Japaner Mitth.," D. Ges. Ost. Heft, 28 S., 330) 
thinks that three distinct races can be distinguished 
in the present Japanese : ( i ) The Ainos, the first 
inhabitants of the north and middle Japan, having 
but few representatives; (2) the Mongolian race, 
resembling the Chinese and Koreans, who came 
probably from Korea to the southwestern part of 
the island. They are dolicocephalic, of slender stat- 
ure, with a long face and nose and small mouth; 



20 The Land of the Rising Sun 

(3) another Mongolian tribe, resembling the Ma- 
lays, who having settled first in Kiushiu went over 
to the mainland. They are large, thick-set, brachy- 
cephalic, with broad face, flat nose and thick 
mouth. Representatives of this type are found 
among the natives of Satsuma, and in the Imperial 
family. There is no doubt that such a division is 
problematic and need's verification. Every one who 
has been in Japan remarks several fundamental 
types. Sometimes you have before you a pure- 
blooded Mongolian with high cheek bones and slant- 
ing eyes and another time it is difficult to decide if 
an Annamese or a native of Java is before you. The 
Cambodians, also having absorbed Mongolian type, 
resemble the Japanese as one drop of water another. 
Doenitz finds a great resemblance between the Jap- 
anese and the Malays. The Malay houses built on 
piles, according to him, recall the Japanese buildings. 
Admitting the possibility, that Malays were carried 
by the sea current to the coast of Japan, one should 
see in the inhabitants of Loochoo. a family likeness 
to the Malays. But this is not the case, the Looch- 
oans resemble more the Koreans. 

From a philological standpoint the Japanese lan- 
guage has nothing in common with the Malay or 
Polynesians and the Japanese. The Hula-Hula of 
the Sandwich islanders reminds one of the Japanese 
Djonkine, and the massage of the Kanaks is little 
different from the Japanese massage, but on such 
foundations one can not make any conclusions. 
There are always analogous customs between na- 
tions. Even the language can not decide the ques- 
tion of the origin of nations. Often the conqueror 



The Land of the Rising Sun 21 

adopts the language of the conquered, as in the case 
of the Bulgarians and many others. If we limit 
ourselves to the philological data then we must con- 
clude that the Japanese are offshoots of the Chinese 
race. Parker proves that a great number of the 
Japanese words (500) resemble the Chinese or have 
an identical root, while many groups of words show 
a strong relationship to the Korean. The idiom of 
southern Korea shows a decided resemblance to the 
Japanese. 

The philological data pointing to an emigration 
from Korea are confirmed by Chinese chronicles, 
which state that in the year 1200 B. C. Tatar or 
Uralo-Altai tribes took Korea and the neighboring 
islands. Chinese authors also state that Japanese 
are descended from the Chinese Prince Taipa and 
that a Chinese colony established itself in Japan in 
the year 219 B. C. Chinese call Japan the country 
of small people or dwarfs. Whatever may have 
been the origin of the Japanese, the influence of 
Chinese culture shows itself at a very early period 
and many Chinese myths have been borrowed by 
the Japanese. Thus philological, ethnographical, 
and some historical facts point to emigration from 
Korea. If one believes the testimony of an old 
chronicle, they were sea pirates, such as still exist 
in the Chinese seas. 



Chapter III 

Prehistoric condition of the Japanese as represented by the 
ancient Chronicles, Ko-ji-ki. 

The Japanese, as seen in the Ko-ji-ki, had already- 
attained a certain degree of culture. They knew 
how to work in iron, and made swords, lances, iron 
door braces, etc. It is astonishing that the Chroni- 
cles have passed in silence such important instru- 
ments as the saw and axe, and mentions the pestle, 
the mortar, the scythe, and the shuttle for weaving. 

They lived scattered on the shores of streams. 
Besides houses, temples and palaces are mentioned. 
Satow says that the palace of the Citizen of Heaven 
and the descendants of the Sun Goddess was very 
simple. The columns and frames for windows and 
doors, as also the walls, were tied with knotted ropes 
of climbing plants (Pueraria Thunhergiana, or Wis- 
taria, Sinensis fugi). The floor was on a level with 
the ground, an easy access to serpents and other 
creeping things. It is very probable that there was 
no wooden floor, only a wooden bench around the 
wall, which was used for sleeping, such as one sees 
now in Annam and Cambodia. The roof was 
thatched with straw, with an opening in the top for 
the escape of smoke. The doors were on hinges, 
the windows very small, and skins or matting and 
sometimes silk materials were spread on the floor 



The Land of the Rising Sun 23 

for seats. Buildings on piles, such as exist even 
now in Japan, and hedges are mentioned in the 
Chronicles. Cleanliness, a characteristic of modern 
Japanese, existed at that time, for the Chronicles 
speak of their bathing in the river and of women 
whose duty it was to bathe the Imperial children. 

Their food consisted of meat, fish and rice. Once 
only millet, beans, barley, and silkworms are men- 
tioned. Chamberlain thinks that this is an insertion 
of a later date. The rice brandy (sake) has been 
known by the Japanese from the earliest period of 
their history. The food was served in leaves or in 
earthen pottery, and tables according to European 
ideas are even now little in use by the Japanese, 
although small low tables are employed for sacrificial 
purposes. 

Their dress showed a certain elegance. The 
Chronicles speak of basques, broad loose trousers, 
belts, hats, coverings, bracelets, necklaces, and head 
ornaments made of stone. The stuffs were made 
of hemp or the bark of the silk tree dyed with 
madder. The Chinese commentator says that the 
Japanese in the fourth century did not know the 
needle. 

The horse, whose name is borrowed from the 
Chinese, the household birds and' the cormorant used 
for fishing are the only domestic animals mentioned 
in the Chronicles. Later there is a hint of dogs and 
cattle, but not a word is spoken of cats, pigs, or 
sheep. In the long list of trees there is no mention 
of either the prune or tea plant. The orange is 
spoken of as coming from the land of eternity. In 
that time the Japanese did not know tea, fans, china, 



24 The Land of the Rising Sun 

lacquerware, or carriages, they had no chronology, 
no money, medicine, or art of writing. 

It is a curious fact that they did not make any 
difference between blue and green. They speak of 
the blue clouds, blue sea, but never of the blue 
heaven. 

In the Chronicles also there is no difference be- 
tween the word for wife, or younger sister, as mar- 
riage with the sister was quite a common thing. A 
similar custom exists now in the Siamese royal fam- 
ily. The citizens had many wives. The Chronicles 
make no difference between wife and concubine, and 
there was no marriage ceremony. Burials were 
conducted with a certain form and when the master 
of the house died the house was deserted by the sur- 
vivors. They buried their dead in wooden coffins. 
We know also from the Chronicles that royal per- 
sonages were buried together with their retainers, 
who were buried alive up to their necks. This cus- 
tom, mentioned by Herodotus in speaking of the 
Scythians, existed in Japan till the year 646, and 
only when the Emperor expressed the desire that this 
cruel custom should be abolished did one of the 
courtiers conceive the happy thought of burying 
statues or figures in place of living persons. They 
were buried in mounds, some of which assume great 
proportions, as the one of Kaudziki, which is 96 
feet high, 372 feet long and 284 feet broad. It con- 
sists of three parts, with a corridor of 33 feet, after 
which is a room for sacrifices 24 feet long, and be- 
yond another room 6 feet deep. The corridor and 
room are faced with stones without cement. In the 
small room were found seventeen pieces of pottery, 



The Land of the Rising Sun 25 

bronze head ornaments for a horse, stirrups, arrows, 
lances, bead's, a small gold ring, and a bronze mirror. 
Before we finish with the prehistoric condition of 
the Japanese we must say a word of the recorded 
lack of moral principle and of the ease with which 
they committed all sorts of felonious acts, breaking 
their word, seeking an enemy in the guise of friend- 
ship, and killing him during his sleep, all this being 
permissible toward one of another race. 



Chapter IV 

Cosmogony of the Japanese — Shintoism. 

The first chapter of the Ko-ji-ki of the Japanese 
Bible is dedicated to the theogony of the Japanese. 
In the beginning of creation there were in heaven 
the Deity, Master of the August Center Heaven; 
next, The High-August-Producing Wondrous 
Deity ; next, the Divine-Producing Wondrous Deity. 
The deities that came next were born from a thing 
that sprouted up Hke a reed, when the earth was 
young and Hke unto floating oil, drifting about Me- 
dusa-like. They came in seven (some say twelve) 
pairs. The last two deities, Izanagi and Izanami, 
were ordered by all the heavenly deities to make, to 
consolidate, and to give birth to this drifting land, 
granting to them a heavenly jewelled spear. The 
two deities standing on the Floating Bridge of 
Heaven (cloud) pushed down the jewelled spear, 
and stirred with it the brine. From a drop that drip- 
ped down the spear was created the island Onogoro 
— the future base of operations of the two gods. 
They settled on this island, raised a column reaching 
to heaven, built a house and contracted marriage. 
From this union sprang Japan's many islands, the 
sea, rivers, valleys and a numerous host of spirits. 
When Izanagi, Orpheus-like, went in search of his 
wife in the land of sleep, he found there such filth 



The Land of the Rising Sun 27 

and foulness that he hastened to return, and during 
the ceremony of purification two deities, cause of 
all evil, were created. After his purification there 
sprang into being two spirits to correct the evil and 
also Amaterasu, the Sun Goddess, the lineal descend- 
ant of whom is the Mikado. 

There is an interesting myth. The Sun Goddess, 
persecuted by her brother Susano, hid in a cave. 
Darkness reigned and all on earth was confusion. 
All the Kami were perplexed, until the Deity of 
Metals conceived the brilliant idea of making a metal 
mirror, that the Sun Goddess might gaze on her 
beauty and see something that resembled the sun. 
Another deity was instructed to prepare precious 
stone cuttings, of paper, and several musical instru- 
ments. Then began the dance and the music. The 
Sun Goddess peeped out of the cave and they dis- 
played the mirror before her. When she came out 
they seized her and conducted her to a separate 
house, which was protected from bad spirits by a 
straw rope. 

The theogony of the Ko-ji-ki, resembling the sun 
m3^hs of other nations, was the foundation of Shin- 
toism — the national religion of the Japanese. The 
corner-stone of the doctrine resembles the Chinese 
cult of ancestors and souls, great men, heroes, who 
are elevated to the dignity of deities (Kami). From 
the followers bodily cleanliness is demanded, above 
all. Leaders of the army, scientists, benefactors, 
and others of note can be elevated for extraordinary 
ser^dces to the rank of deities, and the Mikado and 
his councillors designate the place they will occupy 
in the Pantheon of Shintoism. The Japanese them- 



28 The Land of the Rising Sun 

selves recognize that Shintoism is not a religion in 
the accepted sense of the word. Kato, the president 
of the University corporation, admits that Shintoism 
is not a religion but a system of worship of ances- 
tors, the Imperial family and souls of dead heroes. 
Thus the cult is tightly bound to the Imperial house. 
The Minister of Foreign Affairs explains ofHcially 
that Shintoism, being bound so closely to the Em- 
peror, appears to be only a family cult of the court 
and that the officials attached to the Shinto temples 
in reality have no religious obligations. Shinto 
is no religion, says the Official Gazette, solely a cult, 
the object of which is to preserve to posterity the 
memory of people who have rendered service to 
the Imperial family or country. The cult of the 
Kami consists of numerous ceremonies, prayers, and 
sacrifices, which are called Norito. Satow, an au- 
thority on Shintoism, says that there are many such 
Norito. In the tenth century (927) there were 
about thirty of these ceremonies: i. Prayer for 
harvest; 2, Glorification of the gods Gary; 3, To the 
goddess of food; 4, The god of wind; 5, Service in 
the temple of Imaki; 6, Service in the temples of 
Kudo and Furuaki; 7, Half-yearly services; 8, 
Wishes for the happiness of the High Gourt; 9, 
Mikado Matsuri; 10, General purification on the last 
day of the sixth month ; 1 1, Geremony of the presen- 
tation of the sword of the Mikado by the pupils of 
Yamato; 12, The calming of the fire; 13, Propitia- 
tion of the god of plague; 14, Gelebration of the 
harvest; 15, Galming of the spirits in sanctity; 16-24, 
Geremonies in the temple of Ise; 25, Propitiation of 
avenging gods ; 26, Sacrifices on the occasion of the 



The Land of the Rising Sun 29 

sending of an embassy to China; 27, Felicitations 
of the chiefs of Izumo. Prayers for harvest were 
celebrated with great solemnity on the fourth day 
of the second month, in the presence of high official 
dignitaries, priests, and priestessess of 573 temples. 
Satow finds it difficult to give the exact number of 
deities celebrated in 3,132 temples. Every place has 
its particular god or saint and the ceremonies are 
greatly varied. The celebration of Kazga Matsuri 
was performed with great pomp. A great tent was 
erected on the spot near the river where the cere- 
mony took place. The priestess arrived iri a chariot 
drawn by oxen. The procession was formed of a 
hundred and forty people, beginning with citizens 
and dignitaries, carrying white poles, after which 
followed the chariot of the high priestess with eight 
attendants dressed in hemp. Boys in brown capes, 
pages in white garments, and other followers car- 
ried parasols and fans. Then followed ten more 
attendants, a subject for the sacrifice, two carriages 
with the ladies-in-waiting of the priestess, and the 
envoy of the Emperor. Finally the presents of the 
Emperor and aliments, and bringing up the rear 
seven carriages with the female suite of the priestess. 
The presentation of the Mikado's gifts took place 
with great ceremony. After the placing of them in 
the hands of the young vestal (monoimi) the envoy 
of the Emperor and other high dignitaries (405) 
seated themselves while the high priest read the 
prayer, bowing twice, and clapping his hands four 
times. Grooms conducted seven times around the 
temple seven horses dedicated to the Deity. After 
which followed a dance, Adzuma mahi, performed 



30 The Land of the Rising Sun 

by the bodyguard of the Mikado, a concert on the 
harp and flute, and a dance, Yamato mahi, executed 
by the priests, members of the Fujivara family, and 
the assistant minister of cult. 

Every Shintoist is obliged, upon rising early in 
the morning, to wash his face and hands, to rinse 
his mouth, after which he turns his face toward 
the province of Yamato, and clapping his hands he 
bows to the earth and prays. Their principal pray- 
ers are the following: i. To the columns of heaven 
and earth, God and Goddess of the wind; 2. God- 
dess of the Sun; 3. Goddess at Ise; 4. Unseen 
God; 5. Goddess of Long Life; 6. The temple to 
which the worshipper belongs ; 7. To the household 
gods, called Kamidana — in the house of every Jap- 
anese there is a small altar dedicated to the penates ; 
8. Gods who preserve from sin, profanation, and 
misfortune; 9. Butsu-dan or the temple where are 
placed the tablets with the names of the ancestors. 
If he has not time enough the worshipper can limit 
himself to prayers to the residence of the Emperor, 
household gods, souls of his ancestors, the god pro- 
tector of the place, and to the patron of his craft. 

The Temple of Ise is considered the national place 
|Df worship, and there, according to tradition, the 
mirror and the sword received from the Sun God- 
dess are kept. All the Shinto temples are built on 
the same model, their chief characteristic being sim- 
plicity. They are constructed of hinoki (Chamae 
cyparis obtusa Endlicher) of the best quality and 
are entirely devoid of gilding, lacquer, carving, and 
painting. The primitive type is a cabin the skeleton 
of which consists of logs held together with ropes 



The Land of the Rising Sun 31 

of straw or glycinia, covered with a massive roof 
of straw, and divided into two compartments. The 
back room is the holy of hoHes, and in the front 
room, where mattings are spread, the worshippers 
congregate. On the ahar, in place of ornaments, 
are only the mirror of the Sun Goddess, and Yohei, 
strips of white paper, on a bamboo pole, — symbols 
of purity, — and a crystal globe. A little to one side 
are two vases with evergreen Cleyera Thunbcrgia 
Japonica, and a basin for ablution. Outside the tem- 
ple are stone torii (gates) and stone lanterns. 

In the temple one sometimes sees offerings of 
coarse and fine silk materials, bows and arrows, 
swords and rice brandy, and a temple frequently has 
the air of a museum. Sometimes the collection is 
so great that it is kept in separate wings. Over the 
entrance is stretched a rope of straw. Upon enter- 
ing the temple the worshipper pulls the rope, thus 
giving the signal to the Deity that he wishes to com- 
mune with him. The cash offerings are simply 
strewn upon the matting. The Shinto priests or- 
dinarily have no special priestly garb, and only dur- 
ing the service do they don a special vestment. Dif- 
ferent from Buddhists, they do not shave their heads, 
and do not know celibacy or monasteries. 

The Gods of Shintoism do not require ascetism, 
mortification of the flesh, and their veneration was 
simply a pretext to gay festivals, theatrical repre- 
sentations and processions called matsuri. In Shin- 
toism, with all its masquerading and theatrical cere- 
monies, was felt the need of a unifying moral doc- 
trine, and this void was filled by Confucianism, 
taken from China. The respect of parents was the 



32 The Land of the Rising Sun 

principal foundation of the moral doctrine of the 
Chinese philosopher, who admitted the vendetta for 
the sake of the father. Men were obHged to prac- 
tice five virtues — ^benevolence, frankness, civility, 
fidelity, and knowledge. The respect of parents, 
fidelity to the sovereign, and faithfulness in matri- 
mony are demanded of the followers of Confucius. 
Women play a secondary role in Confucianism, and 
are under obligation of eternal obedience, first as 
daughter to the father, then as wife to the husband, 
and as widow to the eldest son. In the doctrine 
there is nothing ethereal or speculative. It is an 
every-day moral adapted to the tastes of the ordi- 
nary man, not demanding special virtues, and thus 
with its simplicity and accessibility it was easily ab- 
sorbed by the mass of the Japanese. These are the 
reasons why the rationalistic doctrine of the Chinese 
philosopher was organically blended with Shintoism, 
and such were the religious beliefs of the Japanese 
in the beginning of their historical life. 



Chapter V 

Beginning of Japanese history — Legendary Emperors — Inva- 
sions of Korea — Buddhism — Feudalism — War dictatorship 
— The Fujiwaras, Minamotos, Kiyomori — Yoritomo — The 
power of the Emperors (Mikado) passes on account of 
incapacity into the hands of the war dictators (maire de 
palais) or Shoguns — Kublai Khan — Emperor Godaigo — 
Domination of the Ashikaga family. 

We will not dwell on the legendary rulers men- 
tioned in the Ko-ji-ki, on Jimmu Tenno, who con- 
quered Japan, on the Empress Jingo Kogo, who in- 
vaded Korea, and many others who lived longer 
than ordinary mortals. Chinese and Korean histor- 
ians confirm the fact that the Japanese invaded 
Korea several times, although there are discrepan- 
cies in dates. We know that the Chinese brought 
books and learning to Japan, and Koreans stuffs 
and handicraft. 

The great turning point in Japanese history was 
the advent in the sixth century of Buddhism, which 
had already conquered half of Asia. A third of 
humanity — namely, 500 millions — are followers of 
Buddhism in the steppes of Mongolia under the 
name of Shamanism, on the table-lands of Thibet 
(Lamaism), and in Burma with its untold wealth 
of precious stones. 

Every one is familiar with the story of Buddha. 
His greatest merit was in the negation of caste. He 
proclaimed the cult of great men, and moral ideas, 
thus setting an ideal toward which humanity could 
aspire. The sad note in his teaching is the vanity 



34 The Land o£ the Rising Sun 

of all existence, and Nirvana, where all find eternal 
repose. Buddha, like Confucius, is moralist and 
philosopher. He does not bring salvation to the 
vv^orld — the redemption of each one lies in himself. 
But Buddha says that the divine power striving to- 
ward good is stronger than heaven, hell, the stars, 
or Brahma, and that its laws are immutable. Bud- 
dha teaches love and compassion toward humanity 
and all living creatures, abnegation, clean thoughts, 
ascetism, kind actions, patience under suffering, and 
soul-peace. To kill any living thing is counted a 
great sin, therefore all Buddhists are vegetarians. 

This is the doctrine of Buddha in its purest form, 
but under the influence of its environment it has 
changed its aspect, adopting all sorts of superstitions 
and degenerating into Shamanism and idolatry. 

In the time of the Emperor Kinmei there arrived 
an envoy of Korea, who, bringing with him a statue 
of Buddha and books on his teachings, began the 
propaganda of Buddhism. The Emperor asked his 
ministers what they thought of these statues. One 
of them was well disposed to the adoption of the 
doctrine, then another, Nakatami-no-miko, opposed 
it with these words : "In our celestial empire we 
worship one hundred and eighty gods, why should 
we take another strange god." 

The statue was given to Sogo Imami, who erected 
the first Buddhist temple. The spread of an infec- 
tious disease in Japan was looked upon as a punish- 
ment for receiving a strange god and the temple was 
burned. 

This did not check the spread of Buddhism, which 
triumphed under the reign of the empress Suiko, 



The Land of the Rising Sun 35 

who adopted the new rehgion, and at the end of the 
year 622 A. D, there were 46 great Buddhist tem- 
ples and 1,385 Buddhist priests. The pubHc imagi- 
nation was influenced by the pomp of the Buddhist 
service, the doctrine of the transmigration of souls 
and the attainment of eternal happiness with angels 
and Buddhas. 

The spread of this doctrine was much facilitated 
by the circumstance that the new cult took the Shinto 
gods into its pantheon, as it did before with Brah- 
manism. Buddhism was firmly assured in the reign 
of the Emperor Kuwammu, who built a monastery 
on the mountain of Hieyei-san near Kyoto and gave 
it over to the Tendai sect. 

With this Emperor finishes the migration of the 
capital, as he erected in Kyoto a beautiful palace. 
He was distinguished by his ability in statecraft ; in 
his reign there was a revolt of the indigenous tribes, 
which was crushed by his generals, and he began 
the planting of cotton. The former title was changed 
by him to the Chinese title "Tenno." With the spread 
of Buddhism the Japanese adopted Chinese culture, 
Chinese institutions and laws, writing, literature; 
medicine, arts and crafts, industries, some of which 
had already come to Japan from the Korean emi- 
grants, who were expelled from their country owing 
to internal dissensions. 

With the softening of manners the reign of re- 
finement and effeminacy began at the court. The 
emperors, confined in their palace as in a golden 
cage, ceased to interest themselves in the affairs of 
state, occupying themselves with charades, verse 
making, ceremonies, and inventing of new offices or 



36 The Land of the Rising Sun 

costumes, while the country was left to its fate. The 
highest dignitary at the court was the vice-emperor 
(Kwambaku) or the prime minister. After came 
the Taiko, after him came the Kuge or court aristoc- 
racy, from whom were chosen the different minis- 
ters. 

Those were the days of feudalism in Japan, and 
the whole country was divided into the nobility and 
the common people. The governing class was di- 
vided into: I. Kuge — princes, relatives of the Em- 
peror; 2. Daimios — feudal lords; 3. The Samu- 
rais or retainers of the feudal lords or chiefs. In the 
beginning the Samurai was an ordinary peasant, who 
changed his plough for arms, and the feudal lord 
gave a certain revenue from the villages. A Samu- 
rai losing his feudal master, either through disgrace 
or decapitation, was called "ronin." 

After the reign of Kuwammu there came to the 
front three families among the ruling princes : Fuji- 
wara, Taira, and Minamoto. The Fujiwaras be- 
longed to the old families of Japan, being related 
to the Imperial family. From 155 families of Kuge, 
according to Rein, 95 bore the name of Fujiwara 
besides their own name. Five families ( Yoseki) are 
specially honored up to the present day, as the 
Mikado can choose an Empress only from among 
them. In the choice of his secondary companions 
he is not limited. The civil government was concen- 
trated in the hands of the Fujiwaras, who appointed 
de facto the emperors of Japan. Those not agree- 
able to them were obliged to abdicate, and the gov- 
ernment passing to children of 8 to 12 years, a mem- 
ber of the Fujiwara acted as regent (kwambaku). 



The Land of the Rising Sun 37 

The Minamotos also sought to seize the dictator- 
ship. 

The Samurais, entirely forgetting their allegiance 
to the sovereign, fought obdurately only for their 
feudal lord. We will not tire the reader with the 
dramatic episodes, celebrated by the Japanese poets, 
of the strife between the Minamotos and Taira, and 
will pass to the moment when Kiyomori of the house 
of Taira vanquished his foe of the house of Mina- 
moto. 

Seduced by the beauty of Tokiwa, wife of Yosi- 
tomo, he married her, and for her sake spared the life 
of her children. Fearing that they would avenge 
the death of their father he dispatched them to a 
monastery. After having triumphed over his ene- 
mies he was appointed prime minister and became 
in reality the dictator of Japan, and at will deposed 
and nominated emperors. The arbitrary action and 
cruelties of Kiyomori called forth the discontent of 
the country. At the head of the uprising was Yori- 
tomo, the son of Yoshitomo, married to the beautiful 
Masago, daughter of Hojo, and with the aid of his 
father-in-law he raised an army. His principal as- 
sistant was his brother Yositsune, celebrated in Jap- 
anese poetry for heroism. After many battles and 
the death of Kiyomori the Taira family was com- 
pletely exterminated, and the wife of Kiyomori with 
the child Emperor Antoku jumped into the sea. 

Yoritomo seized the military dictatorship and se- 
lected for his capital the town of Kamakura. The 
great military exploits and popularity of Yositsune 
excited the suspicion of Yoritomo, who, forgetting 
the great service of his brother, began planning to 



38 The Land of the Rising Sun 

get rid of him. To save himself from the murderous 
hand of his brother, who had already declared him a 
traitor and an outlaw, Yositsune, according to some 
legends, sought refuge in Yezo with the Ainos, and 
according to another version found death at the hand 
of a friend who sought the favor of Yoritomo. For 
the great services to his country Yoritomo received 
the title of Sei-i-tai-Shogun (great general conqueror 
of the barbarians). Rightfully the power belonged 
to the Mikado or Emperor in Kyoto, but in reality 
it was in the hands of the Shogun, who appointed 
members of his family as hereditary governors of 
five provinces and made his father-in-law military 
governor of Kyt>to. After the death of Yoritomo 
the power passed into the hands of his son, who pre- 
ferred dissoluteness and pleasure to affairs of state. 
This was generally the fate of power in Japan. The 
power of the Emperors, owing to their incapacity, 
passed to the Shoguns, who in turn could not avoid 
the general fate and finished in degeneracy. Some 
ambitious person, profiting by the favor of the Sho- 
gun, sought to seize the helm of power, and thus 
in Japan, side by side with the recognized, but at 
the same time fictitious, power, springs up another 
power full of fire and energy, but this energy lasts 
only for two or three generations. Thus it was 
with Yoritomo and his descendants that the power 
passed to the Hojo family, where it remained from 
1219 to 1334. 

The representative of this family, Yoshitoki, de- 
posed four emperors and placed on the throne his 
grandson. The Hojos distinguished themselves by 



The Land of the Rising Sun 39 

the solicitude for the prosperity of their country and 
development of literature. 

During the regime of the Hojos, Kublai Khan 
invaded China and founded the Mongolian dynasty 
of emperors in China. His envoys arrived several 
times in Japan and demanded submission of the Jap- 
anese Emperor. No answer was vouchsafed to these 
insolent demands and the envoys were not allowed 
to go farther than Kiushiu. In 1274 10,000 Mon- 
gols landed on the island of Tsushima, overcame the 
Japanese and wished to cross to Kiushiu, but were 
repulsed by the army of the Shogun. Kublai Khan, 
not confused by this failure, sent new envoys to Ja- 
pan, who were beheaded by the Japanese. In the 
year of 1282 an army of 100,000 warriors, consisting 
of Koreans, Chinese and Mongolians, landed on the 
island of Takashiama near Nagasaki. The Mon- 
golian fleet was armed with catapults, but a typhoon 
came to the assistance of the Japanese and swept 
the ships to destruction like chips. The sea was cov- 
ered with the floating bodies of the enemy and Japan 
was freed for many years from foreign invasion. 

The Hojos, who ruled the country after the Mina- 
moto, evoked the people's discontent by their pre- 
sumption, and deposed the Emperor Godaigo, who 
was not agreeable to them. The deposed Godaigo, 
seeing in a dream two youths erecting for him a 
throne under a camphor tree (Kusunoki), immedi- 
ately began a search for a man bearing such a name, 
and found Kusunoki Masasighe, who had already 
made known his name by exterminating the brigand- 
age in his part of the country. By his actions and 
victories on the battle-field he succeeded in regaining 



40 The Land of the Rising Sun 

the power for the Emperor, and through the treach- 
ery of Ashikaga, a relative of the Hojos, the capital, 
Kamakura, was taken by assault. 

The last representative of the house of Hojo re- 
tired with all his followers (i,ooo) to the tomb of 
his ancestors, and after a welfare feast committed 
hara-kiri (disembowelled themselves). Thus fin- 
ished a family who so long held the reins of govern- 
ment in Japan. 

The power did not remain long in the hands of 
Godaigo. The ambitious Ashikaga sought to obtain 
the rank of Shogun, which was already given to the 
son of the Emperor Morinaga. To obtain his end 
Ashikaga sowed discord between father and son and 
the young prince was cast into prison, where he 
found death from the perfidious Ashikaga. Then 
Ashikaga, heading a revolt, seized Kyoto, placing a 
new Emperor, Komai, on the throne. The adher- 
ents of Godaigo, who fled to Yesino, gathered 
around him and at his death proclaimed his son 
Emperor ; thus there were two empires in Japan, the 
northern and the southern, and this state of affairs 
continued until the southern empire, little by little, 
lost its possessions and gave up a phantom power. 
From this time the real authority rested in the hands 
of the Shogun Ashikaga, whom Japanese historians 
painted in very black colors. Our compatriot, Leon 
Metchnikoff, defends the founder of this new dy- 
nasty. He asserts that Ashikaga, who is considered 
as the Japanese Borgia, differed in no way from his 
predecessors. With the exception of the chivalrous 
actions of Takeda, who warned the enemy of his 
intended attacks, the Japanese as a rule are not dis- 



The Land of the Rising Sun 41 

criminating- in their choice of action toward a foe, 
and the house of Ashikaga was no exception to the 
rule. At the court of Ashikaga at Rokuvara (sub- 
urb of Kyoto) art flourished and the painters played 
the same role as the artists in the time of the Renais- 
sance. Kawo, Meitsu, Uisetz, Kano, Masanobu, 
and Motonobu distinguished themselves as painters, 
and at the same time flourished. But during this time 
when art was at its height, the country suffered from 
great disorder, from brigands and sea pirates, who 
not only terrorized the inhabitants of the coast but 
also China. The peasants, not knowing how to save 
their harvest and their property from pillage and 
marauding, deserted their lands and joined the bri- 
gands. The powerful feudal lords fought between 
themselves without regard to the central govern- 
ment. About this time began the rise of powerful 
daimios, Takeda (in Koshiu), Simadzu (Satzuma), 
Otomo (Bungo), Mori, Hosokawa, and Tokugawa, 
and the first Catholic missionaries, not without cer- 
tain reason, gave them the title of kings. 

As regards the Emperor himself, his importance 
had fallen very low and the material condition of his 
court was so poverty-stricken that the corpse of the 
one hundred and second Mikado remained unburied 
during forty days at the gate of the palace. The 
capital of the country was in such a terrible plight 
that all those who found it possible fled, only the 
bravest remaining among the ruins, risking death 
from starvation or at the hand of the murderer. 
Frequent earthquakes, droughts, and famines com- 
pletely desolated the country; only the Buddhist 
priests, who had built strongholds in the mountains, 
thrived, taking part in the internal strife. 



Chapter VI 

The first arrival of Europeans — The first missionaries — No- 
bunaga — Hideyoshi — lyeyasu of the house of Tokugawa — 
Persecutions of Christians — War with China. 

I 
Into this reign of desolation and death there 
fell a ray of light — the arrival of the Portuguese, 
who brought with them Christianity and firearms. 
The latter more than anything else astounded the 
change-loving Japanese. The Japanese Chronicles 
speak briefly of the arrival of the ships with the 220 
foreigners (namban), southern barbarians with 
frightful faces, speaking an unknown language, and 
armed with firearms. In the chronicle edited by 
Klaproth it is said that with the arrival of the ships 
of the southern barbarians began the spread of the 
sect of Yaso (Jesus), and that Otomo became a 
member of this sect. The Japanese made a very 
good impression on the first missionaries. Contrary 
to the Chinese, said the Jesuit fathers, the Japanese 
had a developed sense of honor; they were haughty 
and revengeful, but a Japanese merchant would 
never overcharge. Francis Xavier praises the Jap- 
anese for their lofty souls, and in speaking of them 
says, "They are the deHght of my heart !" Japanese 
religion struck the missionaries by its likeness to the 
Catholic, for they also had praying on the knees, 
candles, incense burning, like priestly canonicals; 



The Land ofl the Rising Sun 43 

celibac}^ shaving of the face, convents and monas- 
teries — in fact, all the ceremonies of Buddhism re- 
minded the Catholic missionaries of their own reli- 
gion. Women, at certain periods, were prohibited 
from entering the temples. 

Upon closer acquaintance with the knowledge and 
ideas of the Europeans the Japanese became inter- 
ested in their religious teaching. The great merit 
of spreading Christianity belongs to Francis Xavier 
and the order of the Jesuits, who showed great force 
of will, indomitable energy and readiness to self- 
sacrifice. Francis Xavier himself visited Kago- 
shima, the capital of the Satsuma prince, who issued 
an ukase against Christianity ; but he was more cor- 
dially received by other princes on the island of 
Kiushiu, the Prince of Hirado and Prince Otomo 
of Bungo. From Kiushiu he went to Kyoto, which 
he found in ruins. Entering the capital on foot in a 
poor garb he made no impression on the people, 
and his preaching passed unnoticed in the midst of 
the horrors of civil war. Not having obtained an 
audience with the Mikado or the Shogun, Xavier 
returned to Amaguchi in Bungo. Recognizing his 
mistake, he presented himself to this prince with 
great pomp and splendor, and after remaining there 
several months he went to Malacca and died 
on the road; but the seeds that he had planted 
brought forth a rich harvest in Japan. One would 
think that Christianity, received with such enthusi- 
asm by the feudal princes and the aristocracy of 
Japan, would have firmly established itself in the 
country; but it was not the case, owing to political 
conditions and mistakes made by the missionaries 



44 The Land of the Rising Sun 

themselves, who counted too much upon their own 
strength and took too active a part in the civil strife. 
In the time of uprising and disturbance people of 
extraordinary energy and great intellectual capacity 
come to the fore, and about them groups of people 
who seek advancement, honors, and glory. Thus in 
the sixteenth century, amidst the disturbances and 
dissensions in Japan, arose one after the other, three 
great dictators — Ota Nobunaga, Toyotomi or Hide- 
yoshi, and lyeyasu. Handsome and manly in ap- 
pearance, tall of stature, but with a weakly consti- 
tution, according to the Jesuits, Nobunaga was an 
aristocrat by birth and could boast that the blood 
of the famous Kiyomori of the house of Taira 
flowed in his veins. From his earliest youth he 
showed a great independence of character, was un- 
restrained and wilful. His father apportioned him 
his fortune when he was only thirteen years old, 
and established him in the castle of Nagoya together 
with his servants and retainers, and from this palace 
Nobunaga began his campaigns against his neigh- 
bors, and remorselessly exterminated them with fire 
and sword. His tutor, in despair of the future, com- 
mitted suicide by cutting his throat. This made a 
deep impression on Nobunaga, who would not leave 
his house for several weeks, and he built a temple on 
the grave of his master, and denying himself all 
former amusements he began the serious study of 
the art of war. Under cover of internal disturb- 
ances Nobunaga increased his possessions, and with- 
out discrimination in the choice of means he did 
not hesitate at murder, revenge, or treachery to 
reach his goal. Assembling a great force he armed 



The Land of the Rising Sun 45 

it with guns, such as were brought by the Europeans, 
thus obtaining a great advantage over the other 
feudal lords. His authority was morally increased 
when the Mikado chose him to pacify the country. 
He brilliantly fulfilled his task and expelled Ashi- 
kaga from Kyoto, completing the downfall of this 
dynasty. With an iron hand he restored order and 
peace to the country, and abolishing many taxes he 
assisted those who had suffered from famine and 
disorders. With draconic measures he sought to ex- 
tirpate bribery and theft, which were punished by 
death. Theft, according to the Japanese, entirely 
disappeared, and Japan was like Mongolia in the 
time of Genghis Khan ; a thing lost on the great 
road could be found by the owner, and any one could 
safely sleep there, having all his things about him. 
The reconstruction of the ruined palace in Kyoto 
was begun by order of Nobunaga, and at the same 
time the erection of a fortified castle for himself. 
The complete pacification of the country w^as delayed 
by the Buddhist clergy and by the conflicts of the 
feudal rulers who w^aged war among themselves. 
Desiring to subject the haughty Buddhist monks, 
Nobunaga looked with favor on the spread of Chris- 
tianity, permitting the missionaries to build a church 
and calling it the temple of southern barbarians. 
Aiding the poor and sick, the missionaries spread 
Christianity with such success that it frightened the 
conservatives, who asked, "Are there not enough 
religions in the land ; why should we have a religion 
from a foreign country?" Nobunaga answered that 
Buddhism had also come from another land and 
proven itself very beneficial to Japan. From the 



46 The Land of the Rising Sun 

memoirs of the first missionaries we know that No- 
bunaga was very much interested in Christianity, 
but went no farther than this, and in reUgious ques- 
tions his tolerance was rather the result of indiffer- 
ence. Having only political aims in view he never 
spared his opponents, and the renowned monastery 
of Hieyeisan near Kyoto was taken by his army and 
given over to pillage. The same fate befell the 
stronghold of Buddhism — the monastery Hon- 
gwan-ji. This is the reason why the Buddhists 
represent him as a demon of perversity and evil. 

On the shores of the Lake of Biwa, in Asuchi-yama, 
Nobunaga built himself a palace of which the Cath- 
olic missionaries have written wondrous accounts. 
The air in this place was of wonderful freshness 
and the woods abounded in sweet-smelling plants 
and flowers and the forest was filled with game. On 
the highest of the three mountains was built the 
castle of Nobunaga and the ridges were surrounded 
by a high wall with here and there a tower. The 
first gateway led into a great court with a theatre. 
A majestic stone staircase conducted up to a great 
hall with many corridors. The sliding walls were 
covered with paintings and the windows and doors 
were decorated with gilding and lacquer-work. 
Leading into the corridor was a veritable labyrinth 
of rooms, the rich decoration of which consisted 
also of gold lacquer and gold brocades. From the 
citadel there was an extended view over the prov- 
inces of Owarl and Mino. 

Nobunaga finished by building a temple, in which 
he placed the idols of all the gods, and among them 
a gold statue of himself under the name of Kianti 



The Land of the Rising Sun 47 

(high ruler), and all his vassals were obliged to 
make obeisance to him. Reaching the apogee of 
his power, Nobunaga fell at the hands of murderers. 

The instigator of this attack was one of his aids 
(Akesi-Koreto) whose mother had been crucified 
some time ago by Nobunaga. Although this had 
not prevented Koreto from accepting favors from 
Nobunaga, who even bestowed upon him a province, 
still, Koreto never had entire confidence in Nobu- 
naga and always feared for his Ife. So upon one 
occasion, when Koreto refused to drink, and the 
passionate and unrestrained Nobunaga nearly killed 
him, it incited Koreto to outstrip him, and calling 
together his friends he treacherously surrounded the 
temple in which Nobunaga was living. Startled 
suddenly in the night, the bodyguards and servants 
of Nobunaga offered no resistance. Nobunaga, with 
a few men, threw himself against the assailants, but 
was pierced by an arrow. Upon his return to the 
temple, setting fire to it, he cut his throat. Thus 
died tragically a man on whom the Catholic mission- 
aries counted so much, and thanks to his protection 
Christianity had taken firm root in Japan. 

Many feudal princes, seduced by the profitable 
commerce with the Portuguese, who brought great 
cargoes from Malacca, Philippines, Goa, and Macao, 
willingly opened their ports to them. With the suc- 
cess of commerce Christianity spread, and according 
to some authors there were already a million Chris- 
tians in the land. 

One can judge of the progress of Christianity by 
the fact that the Christian princes (King Francis of 
Bungo, King Bartholomy of Omura, and King 



48 The Land o£ the Rising Sun 

Andrew of Arima) decided to send a deputation to 
the Pope, and this deputation started in February, 
1582, and only arrived in Lisbon two years later, 
or the loth of August, 1584. The journey of the 
Japanese deputation through Portugal, Spain, and 
Italy was like a triumphal march. Their reception 
by the sovereigns, towns, and corporations blinded 
the Japanese with its splendor. Pope Sixtus V 
received them affectionately and handed them an 
answer. 

After the death of Nobunaga one of his generals 
and fellow-champions, Hideyoshi, decided to re- 
venge the death of his master and seized the power 
to the detriment of the rightful heir. 

Hideyoshi, called later Toyotomi, received at his 
birth the name of Hi-yoshi (light of the sun). His 
father was formerly a samurai, and leaving his pro- 
fession retired to the village of Nakamura in the 
province of Owari. His mother, of noble birth, 
having no children prayed long for the desired son, 
and before his birth saw in a dream that a ray of 
sunlight entered her breast. 

The man with such a high-sounding name was 
feeble and small, and was so ugly that he was called 
a monkey. The Jesuits describe him as small of 
stature, thick, fat, and very strong. His face was 
something terrible; he had six fingers on one hand, 
no beard, and his eyes popped nearly out of his head. 
At the death of his father, Hideyoshi was put into 
a monastery. Gifted with great capacities, he caused 
the monks much trouble with his pranks and they 
frequently threatened to return him to his family. 
A common saying of his was : "You are all beggars. 



The Land of the Rising Sun 49 

I see no reason why a child born for better things 
should become a mendicant like you." On one occa- 
sion, when he had to offer the sacrifice to Amida, he 
addressed the idol in these terms : "They say that 
you aid people, and for this they worship you, they 
offer you food daily and you take nothing; eating 
nothing, how can you help others. If you are not 
a dumb idol, answer, or I will smash you to pieces." 
Observing that the food was untouched he struck 
the idol with a candelabra and the head fell off. 
After this he was sent back to his mother, who in 
the mean time had married again. 

After trying several crafts, as potter, carpenter, 
blacksmith, and even brigand, he entered the service 
of Nobunaga, who fixed his attention upon him. 
Beginning as bodyguard, then as contractor, he en- 
tered into the confidence of his hot-blooded master, 
who appointed him to command a company, and 
there Hideyoshi showed himself equal to the task 
and became one of Nobunaga's most talented gtn< 
erals. 

Taking the power into his own hands, Hideyoshi 
aroused the envy of the other generals, who began 
to intrigue against him. We will not dwell upon 
all the details of this struggle but will simply state 
that his chief enemy was the son of Nobunaga, 
Nobuwo. This Nobuwo had turned against Hide- 
yoshi when the latter was already powerful, had a 
great- fortune, vast properties, and a fortified castle 
in Osaka. Masons from ten provinces had been 
summoned for the building of this stronghold, which 
astounds by its cyclopean proportions. 



50 The Land of the Rising Sun 

The Jesuit fathers describe the magnificence of 
this castle covered with gilded tiles. Surmounting 
one of the towers were two gigantic fish whose 
scales were of gold coins. This tower was burned 
in 1660, 

Feeling that he was not equal to attack Hideyoshi, 
Nobuwo turned for aid to lyeyasu-Tokugawa. 
Hideyoshi also tried to incline lyeyasu in his favor, 
but he had already decided to take the part of 
Nobuwo. Then Hideyoshi, by diplomatic negotia- 
tions, brought about a reconciliation, giving his oath 
of allegiance to Nobuwo and adopting the son of 
lyeyasu. lyeyasu, who now appeared on the politi- 
cal arena, was a descendant of the Emperor Seiwa. 
As characteristic of the three dictators who followed 
each other in Japan, the Japanese authors tell the 
following story. Ota Nobunaga usually said, "When 
I wish a nightingale to sing, and it is silent, I kill it." 
Hideyoshi said, "And I wait until it sings." "And 
I force it to sing," answered lyeyasu-Tokugawa. 

Having made peace with his adversaries, Hide- 
yoshi turned his atttention to the obstinate Bud- 
dhist monks and unsubmissive vassals. In 1585 he 
marched against the monastery of Koyosan with 
an army of 100,000 men. The monks, taking advan- 
tage of their fortified position, defended themselves 
desperately, but were forced to yield before the su- 
perior tactics of Hideyoshi. The same fate befell 
the temple of Kumano. Regardless of these hostile 
actions, Hideyoshi was not like Nobunaga, an enemy 
of Buddhism. He was a statesman who knew how 
to profit by people, and change his actions according 
to circumstances. This is seen especially in his rela- 



The Land o£ the Rising Sun 51 

tions toward Christianity. Among the persons sur- 
rounding him were many Christians, who even occu- 
pied very high positions. He cordially received the 
representative of the Jesuits, and expressed himself 
as if he had nothing against half of Japan becoming 
Christian; and pursuing his political aims, he 
brought the conversation to his desire of purchas- 
ing two Portuguese ships, saying, "When I have 
two hundred I will begin to fight the Chinese and 
spread Christianity." He conducted the Jesuit 
fathers through all the rooms of his palace to the 
seventh story, and allowed them to preach, inviting 
them to supper in his own apartments. This was an 
honor such as had never been conferred even upon 
the feudal princes, and the astonishment was very 
great among the aristocrats when the news spread 
far and wide. The affair did not finish here. Hide- 
yoshi visited incognito the house of the fathers, 
examined the church, and upon seeing the image of 
the Saviour asked many questions of Father Les- 
pedez, and upon retiring he said : "I know that 
you are better than the Osaka monks and your laws 
please me very much, if only polygamy were per- 
mitted. It is the only condition which prevents me 
from adopting Christianity." 

His desire to have a Portuguese ship was frus- 
trated. Passing by Hakata he wished to see a large 
Portuguese vessel, but the captain had left the port 
early on acount of the tide. Hideyoshi was furious. 
Another time when a Spanish ship was cast on the 
shore Hideyoshi examined it very carefully and 
asked the captain many questions about European 
customs. When Hideyoshi expressed his surprise 



52 The Land of the Rising Sun 

that such small countries as Spain and Portugal 
should have such large colonies the captain an- 
swered : "It is very simple. When the missionaries 
have subjugated the hearts of the people, the king 
takes the territory without difficulty." 

This explanation, cited by the Jesuits, aroused 
Hideyoshi's suspicion, but being preoccupied with 
his intended invasion of China he did not restrict 
the freedom of foreigners. Upon one occasion, 
when his wife came with the chief Buddhist priest 
to complain of Takayama, one of Hideyoshi's prin- 
cipal aids, that as a Christian he had closed Buddhist 
temples, Hideyoshi answered her : "Has Takayama 
not a right to do as he thinks best? If the monks do 
not know what to do with their idols let them throw 
them into the water or burn them up." He did not, 
however, disdain the aid of the Buddhists when it 
was useful to him, as shown by his making use of 
them in the subjection of the island of Kiushiu, 
where the Prince of Satsuma, not recognizing the 
authority of the Emperor, had seized three provinces 
of Kiushiu and afterwards nearly the whole island. 
The worst fate befell Prince Otomo, who turned for 
assistance to Hideyoshi ; and when Hideyoshi, send- 
ing to the Satsuma prince, asked by what right he 
refused the taxes tO' the Emperor and seized the 
neighboring provinces, the Satsuma prince an- 
swered haughtily: "My ancestors for fourteen 
generations ruled these provinces, and only one 
Emperor, Kono-e, demanded taxes. It is not pos- 
sible that this monkey thinks of conquering me!" 
This insolent answer and the reference to his per- 



The Land of the Rising Sun 53 

sonal appearance angered the Dictator beyond 
measure. 

He marched against Kiushiu, and defeating the 
army of the house of Simadzu, took the capital. 
The head of this proud house, becoming a monk, 
appeared before the Dictator with expressions of 
submission, and Hideyoshi, having mercy on him, 
left to his family the possession of three provinces 
(Satsuma, Hiuga, Osumi). 

Finishing with Satsuma and returning their pos- 
sessions to the Christian princes, Hideyoshi re- 
mained several months in Nagasaki. About this 
time he issued his first proclamation against Chris- 
tianity, in which he pointed out that these strangers 
preached a religion contrary to the laws and insti- 
tutions of the country. "In their blindness they are 
destroying the sanctity of our gods (kami) and the 
temples of the Buddhists," he said. Among the 
complaints against Christianity it is stated that they 
kill cows and oxen so necessary to agriculture, and 
that by fraud they are taking the Japanese unawares 
and selling them intO' bondage. "These actions," 
continues the ukase, "merit capital punishment, but 
we in our mercy order them under penalty of death 
to leave the country in the course of twenty days. 
If after this period they are still in the country, we 
order them to be put under arrest and punished by 
death. The Portuguese merchants are permitted, 
until further order, to trade in the country, but 
under condition that they bring no missionaries. 
In case of disobedience their ships and cargoes will 
be confiscated." The Jesuits explain these strict 
measures by the fact of an unrequited passion hav- 



54 The Land of the Rising Sun 

ing taken possession of the sensual Hideyoshi, for 
a Christian woman in Arima, a place renowned for 
its beautiful women. It is said that Hideyoshi, like 
Nobunaga, wished to be worshipped as a god. 

This ukase against Christianity, however, did not 
prevent Hideyoshi from receiving Father Valignan 
in solemn audience as special envoy from the Vice- 
roy of India. In his credentials from the Viceroy, 
Hideyoshi was thanked for the protection shown by 
him to the fathers and asked tO' support them 
against enemies, and the Viceroy sent to Hideyoshi 
fine presents, including an Arabian steed, a gun, 
etc. 

Having quieted the internal enemies, Hideyoshi 
began planning his campaign against China and 
Korea. He hoped in this manner to weaken the 
feudal chiefs and turn their attention from internal 
politics. From the Emperor he received the title 
Kwampaku with the name of Toyotomi, as the cov- 
eted title of Shogun, notwithstanding Hideyoshi's 
demand, could only be given to a descendant of an 
Emperor. 

Hideyoshi had attained such great importance 
that even the Emperor decided to pay him a visit 
at Osaka. The descendant of the gods seldom came 
out of his seclusion. Surrounded by impenetrable 
mystery the Mikado lived in his palace in the midst 
of his numerous wives, giving himself up to inno- 
cent amusements. The palace, according to contem- 
porary accounts, was distinguished by its magnifi- 
cence ; but we have reason to doubt the truth of this 
description, for the palace which exists at present in 
Kyoto, with the exception of a few sliding parti- 



The Land of the Rising Sun 55 

tions, is extremely simple, is devoid of lacquer, gild- 
ing, statuary and enamel, which are, however, found 
decorating the palaces of the Shoguns and the Bud- 
dhist temples. It is true that the palace was burned 
several times and at a later date than the description 
given by the Europeans. 

The Jesuits saw in the destruction of the palace 
retribution for the persecution of Christianity. Gen- 
erally the Catholic writers attribute to this any mis- 
fortunes which befell the Japanese, and keep silent 
upon any facts that tend to contradict this theory. 

Let us return to the meeting of the Dairi (Mi- 
kado) with Hideyoshi. According to the custom 
of the time this meeting took place with great pomp 
and ceremony. The Dairi, surrounded by a numer- 
ous suite of courtiers and followers, was carried by 
fifty courtiers, and in a litter surmounted by the 
bird Pho (Phoenix), of solid gold, and the sides of 
the litter were decorated with gold figures and col- 
umns. No one could gaze upon the Mikado ; there- 
fore the litter was curtained with thin silk material, 
through which he could see everything. 

Five days the Emperor stayed in Osaka, and all 
this time Hideyoshi, with all his relatives, served 
him; during this visit the Mikado received Hide- 
yoshi and the assembled daimios in solemn audi- 
ence. Hideyoshi, with the other daimios, gave oath 
to serve the Emperor, to defend his possessions, 
and report to him all appertaining to the affairs of 
state. The Dictator, who held under his control 
all Japan, like a true vassal went on his knees before 
his sovereign and grovelled in the dust before the 
power consecrated by time and custom, voluntarily 



56 The Land of the Rising Sun 

taking upon himself the rdle of a servant to the 
descendant of the gods. 

Knowing the peaceful disposition of the Chinese, 
Hideyoshi thought the conquest of this great coun- 
try would not present any difficulty. The first etape 
was to be the campaign in Korea, and Hideyoshi 
began energetic preparations. Before beginning 
hostilities he had recourse to negotiations with Ko- 
rea and received the Korean envoys, who gave a 
very vivid description of their reception. Hide- 
yoshi, they say, was a man with a repulsive face, 
without presence. He was very dark, with eyes that 
shot fire. He sat on a three-pillowed cushion and 
wore a hat of gauze and a dark robe. They were 
offered very poor refreshments and afterwards 
Hideyoshi disappeared behind the screen. He soon 
reappeared, dressed simply, with a baby in his arms, 
moving about the room as if no one was there and 
ordering the Korean band to play loud music for the 
amusement of the child. Remarking that the child's 
linen needed changing, he handed it over to a cour- 
tier, after which the Korean envoys saluted him, 
and that was the only occasion they had to look 
upon Hideyoshi. 

In his letter handed to the Korean envoys, Hide- 
yoshi speaks of conquering the great empire of Min 
and assigns to the Koreans the role of his advance 
guard. 

Such an answer not being agreeable to the Korean 
Government, they prepared for war. After a peace 
of 200 years the Koreans were loath to take up arms, 
as the numerous militia figured principally on paper 
and they had no firearms. 



The Land of the Rising Sun 57 

Japan was in quite another position. Feudalism 
favoring warlike exploits was in full development. 
Battles, continual strifes, first in one part of the 
country, then in another, was schooling for veterans, 
and they were accustomed to victories under the 
guidance of their chiefs. 

At first 150,000 warriors were sent to Korea 
under the command of two sworn enemies, Kato- 
Kiomassa and the Christian Admiral Konissi, Hide- 
yoshi himself remaining in Karatsu. ( Metchnikoff 
is mistaken in saying that he went to Korea.) 

The nth of June, 1592, Konissi landed in Fusan, 
and taking the Korean fortifications marched to 
Seoul. Kato-Kiomassa arriving later, took another 
road. The Korean army offered no resistance and 
the king fled from the capital. 

Persecuted by the reproaches of his subjects, who 
complained that they were left defenseless before the 
enemy, he escaped with a large suite to a province 
bordering on China. For the flight of the king only 
horses caught in the mountains were used. Hungry 
and overtaken by heavy rains he was obliged to seek 
shelter. All the food was consumed by the guards, so 
that very little remained for the king himself. Three 
days later Kato-Kiomassa took the capital. Soon 
after the Koreans began negotiations for peace, but 
they did not stop hostilities. The Chinese sent to 
the aid of Korea 5,000 men, but this detachment was 
beaten by the Japanese. The arrival of the Chinese, 
however, gave confidence to the Koreans, who or- 
ganized guerrilla warfare, which was very trouble- 
some to the Japanese. In China serious preparation 
for war began, but wishing to gain time advan- 



58 The Land of the Rising Sun 

tageous peace propositions were made to the Japan- 
ese. Deceived, the Japanese accepted a truce of fifty 
days and gave up some of their positions. At the 
end of this term the Japanese were notified of the 
arrival of the peace envoy. 

Very pleased, they sent an escort of thirty men; 
but what was their surprise when they heard that 
the party, with the exception of two, had been killed, 
these two bringing the news of the approach of the 
Chinese army. The year 1593 began with successes 
for the Chinese, but they did not follow up their 
victories. Soon after, China began new negotiations 
of peace with Japan on the following conditions: 
The investiture of Hideyoshi by the Chinese Em- 
peror, the cession of a part of Korean territory to 
Japan, and that Korea should pay tribute to Japan. 

The Chinese embassy went to Nagoya, where they 
were received by Hideyoshi with great cordiality. 
Festivity followed festivity, not omitting the drink- 
ing out of one cup. Hideyoshi gave rich presents 
to the members of the embassy and arranged in their 
honor a regatta on the sea, with music and song. 

Peace, however, was not concluded, and Hide- 
yoshi, deceived in his hopes, ordered the resumption 
of hostilities. In 1593 Hideyoshi received in solemn 
audience the envoy of the Philippines. Some Fran- 
ciscans in the suite of the envoy begged permission 
to settle in the country. Hideyoshi very willingly 
consented, saying, "I permit you with all my heart, 
but under the condition that you will not preach." 
The Franciscans, for answer, bowed low. 

Settling in the country, they began to intrigue 
against the Jesuits and open animosity resulted be- 



The Land of the Rising Sun 59 

tween the two orders. Their imprudences and pub- 
He sermons aroused the anger of the Japanese au- 
thorities. It is reported that Hideyoshi spoke thus, 
"Even demons, if they are quiet and hve in peace in 
this country, will be cordially received; but you with 
your honeyed words are only thinking of intrigues, 
and your continual quarrels try my patience." 

His patience being completely exhausted, in 1596 
he issued another proclamation against the Chris- 
tians, and six Franciscans, three Jesuits, and seven- 
teen Japanese Christians were crucified in Nagasaki, 
During the crucifixion the following ukase was 
read to the people, "By my order these people are 
put to death for the reason that they came imder the 
guise of envoys and that they have disobeyed my 
commands." 

Under the influence of these events, reaction be- 
gan in the country against the Christians. The weak 
and pusillanimous, who preferred to die in their own 
beds, renounced Christianity, among them the son 
of the Prince of Bungo ; but on the other hand the 
old Prince died as a martyr. 

In 1596 a new Chinese embassy arrived in Japan. 
Upon the translation of the investiture Hideyoshi 
discovered that he had humbly begged for peace, 
which had been mercifully accorded to him, and the 
Dictator of Japan had been appointed as Chinese 
minister with the safety of the Empire placed in his 
hands. This was too much for the presumptuous 
Hideyoshi and he ordered the Chinese embassy to 
depart. 

The hostilities began with the seizure of the Ko- 
rean fleet. Having taken Fort Nam-uan, the Japan- 



60 The Land of the Rising Sun 

ese marched on the capital, but with the arrival of 
the cold weather their fortunes changed and they 
were reduced to a precarious condition. They ral- 
lied, however, and defeated the Chinese commander 
in an open battle. A week after came the news of 
the death of Hideyoshi and the Japanese army was 
recalled to Japan. 



Chapter VII 

Nominal power of the Emperor, living in Kyoto, passes in 
reality to the Shoguns (Taikuns) of the Tokugawa family, 
who had their capital in Tokyo (former Yeddo) — Persecu- 
tions of Christians — Christian uprising in Shimabara and 
their extermination in Japan — Closing of Japan during two 
centuries, under the regime of Tokugawa. 

As after C?esar follows Augustus, who profiting 
by the work of his predecessor founds a new dy- 
nasty, so after the ambitious Hideyoshi, dreaming 
of conquests, follows the cautious and circumspect 
lyeyasu-Tokugawa. During the dictatorship of 
Hideyoshi, lyeyasu kept in the shadow and received 
from hitn Kwanto. Although he distinguished him- 
self as a good general, the profession of war was not 
to his taste on account of his being too fat, and he 
preferred to occupy himself with science. At the 
death of Hideyoshi he came to the fore. He was 
not a parvenu like the talented Hideyoshi, but could 
boast of descending from the Emperor Seiwa (859- 
876). The only obstacle to the full authority of 
lyeyasu was the six-year-old son of Hideyoshi, 
named Hideyori ; but Hideyoshi considering lye- 
yasu as the only man capable of maintaining order 
in Japan, left him in his will the guardianship of 
his son. The other feudal lords, kept down by the 
firm hand of Hideyoshi, did not wish to recognize 
the authority of lyeyasu and took up arms. In a 



62 The Land pf the Rising Sun 

decisive battle in Sekigahara, lyeyasu defeated his 
enemies (180,000), securing the power to his fam- 
ily for 250 years. This battle, and many dramatic 
episodes connected with the fall of the house of Isi- 
da, Hosokawa, form the subject of the many Japan- 
ese tragedies. Among the vanquished was the 
celebrated Admiral Konissi, who with Isida was 
punished with death. Receiving in 1603 the title of 
Dai-Shogun (great Shogun), lyeyasu began isolat- 
ing the court of the Emperor and gathering all the 
affairs of state to himself and his dynasty. lyeyasu 
ordained that the Shoguns should report all political 
affairs to the Emperor. He abolished the pilgrim- 
ages of the Emperor to holy shrines, which were 
formerly undertaken so that the Emperors might 
see for themselves the needs of the people. The dai- 
mios or feudal lords were forbidden to appear at 
court, and the western daimios were not allowed to 
go through Kyoto. Having founded the capital, 
Yeddo (present Tokyo), lyeyasu commanded all the 
feudal princes to build palaces there and live in them 
with their families half of the year; in case of ab- 
sence their wives and children were to be left as 
hostages. Desiring to assure to his family the title 
of Shogun he resigned in favor of his son Hidetada 
(1606), and living alone with his books and study- 
ing history he gave advice to his son and directed 
the politics of Japan. Thus arose again two powers 
in Japan, and the palace of the Shogun was distin- 
guished by its splendor. 

The Emperor's palace at Kyoto, surrounded by 
gardens, became the permanent residence of the Em- 
peror, who rarely went beyond its precincts, and 



The Land of the Rising Sun 63 

when this happened the Htter was closed, so that the 
pubHc might not see him and might only pray to 
him as a god. The time came when the idea was 
firmly established in the minds of the people that 
he who gazed upon the Mikado should go blind, 
and this demi-god in his golden cage had no power. 
It had passed into the hands of what the foreigners 
called the Taikun (great prince). 

The position of the Christians had become no 
worse during the rule of lyeyasu. Although his 
great opponent was the Christian Admiral Konissi, 
on the other hand his allies were the Christian 
princes of Omura and Arima. The Jesuits affirm 
that in the year 1600 there were fifty churches built 
and that lyeyasu showed kindness to the fathers, 
and at the New-year felicitation especially distin- 
guished Father Organtino. In 1604 Nagasaki was 
quite a Christian city and the Jesuits describe the 
church festivals. The streets were hung with car- 
pets and embroideries, and processions were of an 
unusual splendor. 

Above the Bishop, who carried the Holy Host, 
was elevated a magnificent canopy. He was pre- 
ceded by the clergy and a great procession of pil- 
grims. The sound of sacred music was heard from 
afar, and the noise of trumpets, discharge of mus- 
ketry and cannon. The priests, assisting at this 
ceremony, according to Catholic writers, wept for 
joy. The greatest cathedral in Nagasaki was dedi- 
cated to the Virgin. These public church cere- 
monies show clearly that Christianity was not only 
tolerated but already enjoyed rights. True, certain 
feudal princes persecuted the Christians, but this 



64 The Land of the Rising Sun 

persecution had no systematic character. lyeyasu, 
as we have seen, received the Bishop with great 
ceremony (lui fit des honneurs extraordinaires) . 
Already even in the capital the burial of one of the 
court ladies was attended with such great pomp 
that the Buddhist priests were devoured by envy 
(Creverent d'envie), and complained to lyeyasu, 
who flew into a rage. He was pacified, however, by 
his counsellors, who advised him to manage the 
Christians on account of commercial interests. 
Nevertheless, new regulations were issued prohibit- 
ing the court ladies from embracing Christianity. 

lyeyasu, desiring to establish commercial rela- 
tions with China and other countries, encouraged 
trade. In 1660 the first Dutch traders arrived and 
lyeyasu closely questioned the Dutch captain about 
the customs of their country. The Englishman 
Adams was also cordially received, and lyeyasu be- 
stowed upon him a title and gave him land in Tsur- 
uga. He remained ten years in Yeddo (Tokyo) in 
the character of an adviser of the Shogun for for- 
eign affairs, building of ships, and professor of 
languages and literature. 

The Japanese now learned for the first time from 
the Dutch and the English of the division between 
the Christians. The English and Dutch, as violent 
Protestants, acted openly against the Jesuits and 
tried as much as possible to influence the impression- 
able Japanese. The Japanese reasoned that they 
could keep the profits of trade in dealing with the 
more sensible Dutch and English, who were more 
indifferent to religious questions. The situation 
came to a climax when the sailors of a Portuguese 



The Land of the Rising Sun 65 

ship had a fight with the Japanese and when lyeyasu 
ordered them punished as an example. The cap- 
tain, escaping to sea from the Japanese, blew up his 
ship. 

Hideyori, who was married when still a child to 
a granddaughter of lyeyasu, received from his fa- 
ther, Hideyoshi, great wealth and lived in the forti- 
fied castle of Osaka. He and his intimates presented 
the only obstacle tO' lyeyasu and his children, and 
Hideyoshi encouraged him in the outlay of enor- 
mous sums for the building of a temple. After a 
visit of Hideyori, in which lyeyasu was very affable 
to him, two of the closest friends of Hideyori, Kato- 
Kiomassa and Asano, died mysterious deaths. 

Seizing the first opportunity of displeasure, lye- 
yasu by ruse and cunning took the castle of Osaka, 
put to death the followers of Hideyori and pos- 
sessed himself of all his treasures. The Catholic 
writer Crasset, "Histoire de I'eglise chretienne au 
Japon," knows nothing of the fate of Hideyori, and 
Kostyleff says that Hideyori escaped on a junk to 
Satsuma, passing the last of his days in the Buddhist 
temple of Tze-gan-fuku-se. 

About this time a conspiracy against lyeyasu was 
discovered, the conspirators being Christians, among 
whom were the ruling prince in Arima and a con- 
cubine of lyeyasu. The criminals were condemned 
to death but the sentence was commuted to exile. 

Don Miguel, who succeeded his father in Arima, 
becoming an apostate, began to persecute the Chris- 
tians, and in the name of the Shogun extirpated 
Christianity from Bungo. 



66 The Land ,o£ the Rising Sun 

Soon followed the proclamation expelling all 
Christians from the country. Such strong measures 
can be explained thus, that although for a time 
lyeyasu avoided quarreling openly with the Chris- 
tians, he only bided the propitious moment when 
he could get rid of these foreigners. The Buddhist 
clergy influenced him somewhat and on the other 
hand he hoped that the Dutch traders would take 
the place of the Portuguese, whom he considered 
dangerous to the unity and independence of the 
country. 

In the proclamation the Christians are accused of 
being traitors aiming at the destruction of the coun- 
try. "The Christians," it is said in the ukase, 
"came here deliberately to take possession of the 
country." 

As result of this proclamation, 107 Jesuits and 
200 catechists were sent on junks to Makao. Many 
Japanese were exiled to the north of Japan. The 
Catholic writers describe the Christians as being 
assembled in the public squares in holiday attire and 
going happily to exile. Ten women of the best fam- 
ilies were put into houses of prostitution, which, if 
we can believe the fathers, were transformed by 
their influence into houses of prayer and humility. 

In 1 61 6 lyeyasu was wounded while hunting, and 
the culprit was not found. lyeyasu died at 74 years 
of age, and at his death the Mikado elevated him to 
the rank of Dai Gongen (Highness of the First 
Order, Light of the East, and Great Incarnation of 
Buddha). To posterity he was known by the name 
of Gongen Sama, and together with the other Kamis 
was worshipped by the faithful. 



The Land of the Rising Sun 67 

On his death-bed he called to him the feudal lords 
and gave them presents. The testament, ascribed 
to lyeyasu and containing one hundred paragraphs, 
considered as the foundation of the state organiza- 
tion of Japan, has been properly revised in later 
times. 

After the death of lyeyasu, the Shogun Hidetada 
followed his father's politics. In 1619 foreign 
trade was limited to Nagasaki and Hirado. In 1621 
the Japanese were prohibited from leaving the coun- 
try. Concerning Christianity it is said that Hide- 
tada sent Ibi-massa-yosi to Europe to study the 
question. Ibi-massa-yosi returned to his country 
after an absence of six years and was called imme- 
diately before the Shogun, who listened to him un- 
remittingly night and day. When reminded by his 
courtiers that he was tiring himself, Hidetada re- 
marked, "What are my feelings in comparison with 
the sufferings of this man who has traveled on my 
commission." The report of Ibi-massa-yosi con- 
vinced Hidetada that the Christian religion meant 
harm to the country and the persecutions of the 
Christians began with renewed vigor. Eleven 
Christians were beheaded and fifty-two burned alive 
in Kyoto. Before those condemned, marched the 
herald, calling aloud to the multitude that these 
people were condemned to death because they were 
Christians, and the martyrs, one of whom was a 
high court official, answered, "Yes, we die for Jesus 
Christ." Hearing that they went with joy to their 
death, the Shogun condemned thirty-seven more, 
and even small children showed the same contempt 
of death. 



68 The Land 'Of the Rising Sun 

Executions followed by thousands, and not only 
the Christians were punished by death, but all those 
who gave them shelter or befriended them in any 
way. A price was set on the heads of missionaries 
and Christians, and a regular system of espionage 
was organized. For a child who would betray his 
parents or a wife a husband, reward was augmented. 
In the choice of execution they showed a remarkable 
inventive faculty. Some were buried alive or 
burned on slow fires, crucified, immersed in boiling 
water, torn apart by wild bulls, tied in sacks and 
thrown in heaps to be burnt together, covered with 
inflammable materials and burnt as torches, pierced 
full of pointed sticks, etc. To- torture the mothers, 
the children were baked before their eyes. 

All this is reported not only by the Jesuits but by 
the Japanese historians, and the officers of the East 
India Company who were in Japan in 1619. Koch 
marvels at the firmness with which the Christians 
faced death and torture, as in the beginning of 
Christianity, when the renunciation meant rewards 
showered upon them. The most terrible sufferings 
did not shake their courage, and many carrying their 
children went to the stake with a smile. "The de- 
scription of these times," says Gubbins ("Review of 
the Introduction of Christianity into China and 
Japan"), "reads like a page of Dante's Inferno." 

The English and the Dutch in many instances en- 
couraged these actions, and we have testimony that 
an English ship, Elisabeth, delivered two mission- 
aries (Luis Flores and Pedro de Zunnis) to the Jap- 
anese, and they were burned on the stake with their 
assistants. 



The Land of the Rising Sun 69 

By the ukase of 1624 all the foreigners were ban- 
ished with the exception of the Chinese and Dutch 
who were settled in Nagasaki. The same Shogun 
prohibited the building of big ships for ocean travel, 
thus isolating Japan from the pernicious influences 
of the outer world. 

During the Shogunate of lyemidzu the persecu- 
tions of Christians continued with terrible cruelty. 
The following saying is attributed to this Shogun: 
"If my dynasty perishes through internal strife, that 
would be a great misfortune for me; but if a span 
of our territory goes to the strangers it will bring 
shame to the Empire and will be a national calam- 
ity." lyemidzu ordered the test of go fumi or go 
bumi to be applied to all foreigners (Gubbins) ; that 
is, to trample with the feet on the board in form of 
a cross with the image of the Saviour upon it, and 
the Dutch admitted to Nagasaki fulfilled this obli- 
gation. After 1 69 1 the Dutch living in Nagasaki 
were treated like prisoners and their intercourse with 
the outer world was subjected to the strictest sur- 
veillance. "We did not dare," says Kaempfer, "to 
observe our Sundays and holidays, sing sacred 
hymns, pronounce the name of Christ or wear a 
cross, etc." "Auri saua fames quid non mortalia 
pectora cogis!" he exclaims sorrowfully. 

The persecutions of Christians terminated in a 
bloody final act, the uprising of Shimabara, which, 
according to Dr. Riess ("The Rising of Shima- 
bara"), was the result of several causes. The pos- 
sessions of Konissi had been given to one Terasawa. 
There was also a new ruling prince in Arima and he 
had augmented the taxes. According to his orders 



70 The Land of the Rising Sun 

the peasants who would not pay were burnt aHve 
in straw capes, such as are now worn for the rain. 
The contortions during the burning were called the 
dance of the waterproofs (mino odori) . Those who 
rebelled against the taxes, or complained, risked 
their heads. Driven to despair, the Christian inhabi- 
tants of Arima arose to the number of 30,000 and 
seized the castle of Shimabara. At the head of the 
uprising was a youth of sixteen years, Matsudo 
Siro, possessed of extraordinary talent. Popular 
opinion attributes tO' him many miracles. The re- 
volt met at first with success. The quelling of this 
disturbance was not an easy matter, as it first ap- 
peared, and the castle was only taken by the aid 
of Dutch warships, which bombarded it with great 
success, to the delight of the Japanese. It was only 
after a siege of three months that this stronghold 
fell. The four hundred survivors were put tO' death. 

Then began the wholesale extermination of Chris- 
tians, and their heads were empaled by thousands and 
exposed in Nagasaki, while the bay was filled with 
corpses. Stout (Trans., VII, pt. Ill) found a stone 
slab in Tomioka recording the burial of 3,333 be- 
headed Christians, erected by the order of the Gover- 
nor in 1648, who wished to assure repose to those 
wicked souls, which would rove on the earth. 

Following the crushing of the revolt strict meas- 
ures were taken against all foreigners wishing to 
penetrate into Japan. 

The Portuguese in Macao, to whom the commerce 
of Japan was of the greatest advantage, decided to 
send an embassy to Japan, Upon the arrival of this 
embassy to Nagasaki the Governor met them with 



The Land of the Rising Sun 71 

great cordiality. Under different pretenses the Gov- 
ernor induced them to dehver their guns, cannon and 
all the artillery, and when the Portuguese stepped 
on the shore they were seized and all put to death 
with the exception of thirteen. The Japanese pos- 
sessed themselves of all the presents, burnt the ship, 
and sent the surviving Portuguese home with these 
w^ords, "As long as the sun shines on the earth, the 
same punishment will be inflicted on every stranger 
who will cross the threshold of Japan." 

From this moment dates the complete seclusion of 
Japan. Only Chinese and Dutch continued com- 
mercial relations with the Land of the Rising Sun. 
Turning away from Europe, Japan did not possess 
in herself the elements of independent development. 
There remained China, from whom she had bor- 
rowed before everything that it could give, — litera- 
ture, philosophy, medicine and music, — but that was 
too little for the independent evolution of Japan. 
Sharpening its faculties in imitating the Chinese and 
only attaining individuality in art, Japan intention- 
ally mutilated herself. Having accomplished all that 
was possible in this direction, Japan stopped at a 
certain point and after that remained in a state of 
stagnation and lethargy. 



Chapter VIII 

Awakening of Japan — Appearance of Europeans — Agitation 
against foreigners — Fermentation — Restoration of Imper- 
ial power — Civil war finishes by the defeat of the follow- 
ers of the Shogun, who retires to a monastery. 

Confined in the toils of Chinese civihzation, Japan 
was suddenly awakened from her lethargy in 1853, 
by the appearance of the squadron of Commodore 
Perry. All this time, in spite of persecutions, the 
missionaries had tried to penetrate into the country. 
We know of Father Sidotti in 1709, who was imme- 
diately thrown into prison. There were at this time 
very few Christians left in the country. Ksempfer, 
who was there at the end of the seventeenth century, 
says that in his time were to be found in the prisons 
people called Bungo-ko or Christians, who knew 
only the name of the Saviour, but who nevertheless 
preferred to die in this stupid religion (einfaeltiger 
Glaube sterben) rather than to have freedom 
through renunciation of the Saviour. 

In the first half of the nineteenth century foreign- 
ers persistently knocked at the door of Japan, which 
in spite of all their efforts remained hermetically 
sealed. Before the arrival of the Americans the 
Dutch representative arrived in Nagasaki on a man- 
of-war with a letter tO' the Shogun, requesting that 
five ports should be opened to the Europeans. Eng- 
land, it was said in this letter, would know how to 



I 



The Land of the Rising Sun 73 

enforce her demands; that at the present time dis- 
tance was nothing, owing- to steamers, and that Japan 
could not resist in this struggle with European pow- 
ers. The Shogun upon receipt of this communica- 
tion was deeply impressed, but could not decide to 
change the law. In March, 1846, the arrival of two 
American warships in Yeddo produced a stupefying 
impression, as the ships seemed to the Japanese 
great iron fortresses, against which it was useless 
to struggle. 

In June, 1853, ^'^ ^^e horror of the Japanese, a 
squadron of four battleships arrived under the com- 
mand of Commodore Perry, who conducted the af- 
fair with great energy, and delivering the letter of 
the President to the high officials (he would have 
nothing to do with the minor ones), promised to 
return for the answer a year later. 

The 6th of February, 1854, Perry arrived at Shi- 
moda with seven warships, and after some hesitation 
on the part of the Shogun it was decided to open to 
the Americans two ports, Shimoda and Hakodate, 
and in the summer of 1854 a treaty with the United 
States was signed. In 1855 the Russian Admiral 
Prince Putiatin appeared with a squadron at Shi- 
moda, and the 28th of January a treaty between 
Russia and Japan was signed, opening- three ports 
(Shimoda, Hakodate and Nagasaki). 

The Emperor, hearing of these treaties with Rus- 
sia and America, was displeased at the violation of 
the old laws concerning- the foreigners. However, 
in spite of the resistance of the Japanese, the breach 
was made and one treaty followed another, always 
augmenting the rights of the foreigners. 



74 The Land o£ the Rising Sun 

Let us look at Japan at the time of the signing of 
these treaties. Metclmikoff says that in tlie lapse 
of two centuries Japan had enjoyed peace and that 
art and science had flourished, but this must be taken 
with certain restrictions. At peace, in the interior 
Japan had to contend with famine, plague, fires, 
earthquakes, and floods, and these were bad enough, 
according to Japanese writers. "Strangers," says 
Bousquet, "who could have seen the feudal regime 
in Japan thirty years ago would have prophesied 
for it a long existence. All the causes of the fall of 
feudalism in Europe seemed to be set aside. There 
was no religious dissension, dynastic rivalry, neither 
philosophic nor popular protests against the divine 
right; there was no industrial development nor ten- 
dency toward equality. Every class was happy in 
his appointed limits; the absence of peasant upris- 
ings, general contentment and simplicity of life kept 
back revolutionary agitation and the creation of plu- 
tocracy. All the relations between the different ele- 
ments of society were regulated with the precision 
of a metronome, and if the happiness of a nation 
consists in immobility, then this was the golden age 
of Japan, such as was never equalled in another 
country." 

But a secret canker undermined the forces of the 
state. The measures taken against the ambition of 
feudal rulers had led them to effeminacy. Like the 
power of the Shoguns passed into the hands of lazy 
and incapable administrators, so the feudal princes, 
shirking their work, gave it into the hands of their 
ministers (karo). In spite of espionage the daimios 
intrigued and awaited only a propitious moment to 



The Land of the Rising Sun 75 

rise ag-ainst the Tokiigawa dynasty, whom they con- 
sidered as usurpers, and they were supported by the 
national party of the Empire. The samurai of the 
daimios envied the samurai of the Shogun, who 
occupied the best places in the government. 

The peasants under this regime were not happy, 
they were taxed 40 or 50% of their earnings. The 
armed men gave them no peace on the high roads, 
and to escape overwork the peasants hid or ran away 
into the mountains. When the daimio or the gov- 
ernor passed along the high road with his numerous 
suite, consisting sometimes of 120 followers, the 
road was cleared by heralds running before the pro- 
cession and crying "shitani" (down), and all know- 
ing what the order meant, squatted on the edge of 
the road. Meeting with these armed men was not 
always safe, for in a moment they would fall upon 
the unarmed man and cut him to pieces ; and where 
seek redress against such a mighty people? The 
life in the cities was rendered unbearable by turbu- 
lent samurai, who meeting a merchant were over- 
bearing, and at the first disagreement used their 
sword; and if the merchant was killed, no one ob- 
jected — he was buried and that was the end of the 
affair. 

Thus the peaceful picture of contentment given by 
Metchnikoft' is not entirely in accord with the truth; 
In the life of the Japanese were many dark sides, 
and they came to light with the appearance of the 
foreigners. 

The concession made by the Shogun created great 
discontent among the armed class; the samurai felt 
themselves insulted by these encroachments of the 



76 The Land of the Rising Sun 

foreigners. An agitation began in the country, 
which resulted in acts of violence against foreign- 
ers. The affairs of the Shogunate were in the 
hands of the all-powerful Minister li-Kamon-no- 
Kami. After the death of the Shogun he chose 
as his successor a youth of 12 years, in spite of the 
opposition of the three related houses of Owari, Kii, 
and Mito. The Mikado, who was favorable to those 
houses, persistently demanded the expulsion of the 
barbarians, but li-Kamon-no-Kami knew very well 
that the expulsion of the barbarians was not an easy 
matter and quelled with an iron hand the opposi- 
tion of the protesting princes. 

At this time several "ronins" resolved to give 
their lives for the good of their country, and chose 
the moment when the minister with a numerous 
suite was on his way to the palace. Snow was fall- 
ing heavily, and the escort, paying no attention to 
the murderers, took them for simple petitioners. 
Diverting the attention of the guard by an attack 
on the head of the procession, the assassins reached 
the palanquin in which rode the minister, cut off his 
head and sought refuge in flight. The head of li- 
Kamon-no-Kami was taken to Kyoto to the public 
place, where it was exposed with the following in- 
scription, "This is the head of a traitor, who has 
violated the sacred laws of Japan in permitting the 
access to the country of foreigners." This exhibi- 
tion lasted several hours, after which the head was 
taken to Yeddo and thrown over the walls of the 
minister's palace. 

After this the attacks on foreigners increased. 
The 14th of January, 1861, the secretary of the 



The Land of the Rising Sun 77 

American legation was killed. In July the "renins" 
fell upon the English residences in Takanawa, where 
there were several killed and wounded. 

The representatives of England, France, and Hol- 
land removed to Yokohama under the protection of 
their warships. English troops were then stationed 
at Yokohama. This agitation spread, owing to the 
existing antagonism between the Emperor and the 
Shogun, the former firmly insisting on the expul- 
sion of the foreigners and the latter unable to comply 
with these demands. 

In 1863 there were new attacks and murders of 
foreigners. Several Englishmen from Yokohama, 
riding on the high road, met the train of the Prince 
Satsuma, and instead of turning aside, continued 
their way. Incensed by such insolence, the samurai 
cut to pieces the merchant Richardson and wounded 
several other Englishmen. The English minister 
demanded $300,000 indemnity from the Shogun 
and $25,000 from the Satsuma prince. These de- 
mands were not complied with and the English 
squadron, consisting of ten ships, bombarded Kago- 
shima and burnt the residence of the Satsuma 
prince. 

The same energy was displayed by the Euro- 
peans when Prince Mori ordered the Shimonoseki 
battery to open fire on the passing European ships. 
A squadron, consisting of eighteen American, 
Dutch, and French warships, arrived before Shi- 
monoseki, destroyed the battery, and landed troops. 
The Prince Mori's subordinates proved to the for- 
eign commanders that they were acting under or- 
ders of the Emperor and the Shogun. The result 



78 The Land of the Rising Sun 

was a new demand of indemnity of $300,000 from 
the Shogun. 

An uprising began in Nagato, and the Shogun, 
feeHng himself incapable of dealing with these dif- 
ficulties, begged the Emperor to relieve him; this 
request was not granted, however, by the Emperor, 
who insisted on the quelling of the disturbances in 
Nagato. 

The Court at this time, like some of the ruling 
princes, played a double game. It loudly demanded 
of the Shogun the expulsion of the foreigners, 
knowing all the while that it was an impossibility. 
The expulsion of foreigners was only the watch- 
word for the malcontents and those who sowed dis- 
cord in the country. The trusted entourage of the 
Emperor and some ruling princes thought in this 
manner to rid themselves of the hated Shogunate. 
The agitation against the Shogunate had already 
begun in the country and the Japanese historians 
and publicists were working for the return of the 
power to its lawful representative, the Mikado, and 
this opinion gained more and more ground in the 
land. The leaders of this movement were the kuge, 
San jo and Iwakura, the Samurai Kido from Cho- 
shiu, Saigo of Satsuma, Itagaki of Tosa, and some 
secondary persons, who afterwards, like Ito and 
Inouye, played a great role in Japan, 

The Emperor Komei died the 20th of January, 
1867, and the fifteen-year-old Emperor Mutsu Hito 
mounted the throne. 

In September the Prince of Tosa addressed a 
letter to the Shogun, in the following terms, "You 
should restore the power to the hands of the sover- 



The Land of the Rising Sun 79 

eign and thereby lay a foundation on which Japan 
may take its stand as the equal of other nations." 

This advice was accepted by the Shogun, who sent 
a circular, in which he stated, that being no longer 
in a position to rule Japan he had resolved to give 
up his power to the Imperial Court. In November, 
1867, he asked the Emperor to relieve him of his 
office, and his request was granted by the Mikado, 
who on the 22d of December proclaimed the abol- 
ishment of the office of the Shogun, and that from 
this date the Government of Japan would rest ex- 
clusively in the hands of the Emperor. This coup 
d'etat was skilfully carried out by the intimate ad- 
visers of the Emperor. Formerly the defense of the 
Imperial palace was placed in the hands of the 
Prince of Aidzu. His warriors were now set aside 
and their place was taken by the army of the princes 
of Satsuma and Tosa. 

The followers of Tokugawa saw in this coup 
d'etat an infringement of their rights and took up 
arms. They persuaded the former Shogun that the 
first thing was to remove the advisers of the Em- 
peror, and the Shogun marched on Kyoto with an 
army of 30,000. The Imperial party had only an 
army of 6,500, nevertheless victory was on their 
side and the army of Tokugawa retreated in dis- 
order to Yeddo. 

The council assembled in Kyoto, declared the Sho- 
gun a rebel and deprived him of all his offices. The 
uncle of the Emperor, Prince Arisugawa-no-miya, 
was named commander-in-chief of the army. The 
foreign representatives were notified of the change 
and that the new Government would recognize all the 



80 The Land J of, the Rising Sun 

treaties with the foreign powers. The foreign min- 
isters declared that their respective Governments 
would observe strict neutrality and they were noti- 
fied that the Emperor would receive them in solemn 
audience; but when the ministers of France, Eng- 
land, the United States, and Holland were on their 
way tO' the palace the English minister was attacked 
by two fanatics. 

Before the coronation, the Emperor in presence 
of his Court and the assembled feudal nobility, call- 
ing to witness the souls of his ancestors, gave the 
solemn oath that he would call a deliberative assem- 
bly; that all organic laws should be presented for 
public approval; that old prejudices and customs 
should be abolished, and that justice equal for all 
would be the great principle of his reign. He an- 
nounced that he would take the supreme command 
of the army fighting the rebels. The former Sho- 
gun, counting all resistance useless and not wishing 
to commit suicide (hara-kiri or seppuku) according 
to Japanese custom, retired to a small cell in a tem- 
ple of Ueno, near which were the tombs of the Sho- 
guns. 

The followers of the Shogun, his vassals and 
samurai, did not wish to surrender without a strug- 
gle, but their resistance was of no avail. On the 
14th of April, 1868, the Imperial army, under the 
command of Prince Arisugawa-no-miya, took the 
capital of the Shogun — Yeddo, which received the 
name of Tokyo; that is, the eastern capital. A re- 
volt was raised in the north by the daimios of Sen- 
dai and Aidzu, but at the end of October, 1868, 
it was everywhere crushed. Only Enomoto, taking 



The Land of the Rising Sun 81 

the Shogiiii's ships, departed to the north, and seiz- 
ing Hakodate and several points on the island of 
Yezo, proclaimed a republic. This ephemeral re- 
public lasted but a short time (till the year 1869). 
Enomoto himself, according to Japanese custom, 
should have committed suicide, but thanks to the 
intercession of Kuroda (afterwards Prime Minis- 
ter), was pardoned. Some years later, Enomoto 
was sent as minister to Russia, where he negotiated 
the treaty for the cession of Saghalin in exchange 
for the Kurile Islands. 

Peace was established in Japan and the new reign 
received the name of "Meidzi" (brilliant reign). 

The Court, which had been so energetic in demand- 
ing the removal of foreigners, changed its program 
and made more treaties with foreign powers. From 
this moment Japan entered the way of reform and 
changed its institutions after the foreign model. 



Chapter IX 

The now reigning Emperor convokes something like a parlia- 
ment — New movement — Reforms — The revolt of Satsuma 
— Promulgation of Constitution — First day of the Japanese 
Parliament — War with China — Abolition of consular 
jurisdiction. 

The 1 8th of April, 1869, an assembly resembling 
a parliament was convoked, consisting of 2^6 mem- 
bers, principally feudal lords and samurai. In this 
assembly, having a deliberative character, there were 
no representatives from the cities and rural class 
and the majority belonged to the conservative party. 
Thus, for instance, the assembly was against the 
abolishment of the Japanese custom of hara-kiri and 
showed a marked antipathy to Christianity. Ancient 
Japan still spoke its word when the Emperor wished 
to leave the ancient capital for Tokyo. His body- 
guard barred the way, supplicating him not to leave 
the holy capital nor pollute himself by the inter- 
course with foreigners. Convinced that the Em- 
peror would not heed them, they finally resolved to 
accompany him to Tokyo, and as there were two 
thousand of them, the Emperor had to accept their 
escort. In the history of every nation there are mo- 
ments when whole classes magnanimously sacrifice 
their rights and privileges. The movement begins 
with the enlightened minority; the majority, al- 
though it does not sympathize in the beginning with 



The Land of the Rising Sun 83 

the tendency, carried away by the current, goes far- 
ther than it first intended. Thus it was in Japan, 
when Kido composed his celebrated memorial signed 
by the three powerful princes, Satsuma, Nagato, and 
Tosa, in which they relinquished, in favor of the 
Emperor, their feudal rights. Willingly or not, the 
other daimios followed suit and feudalism, which 
had existed for centuries, suddenly collapsed. The 
suddenness of this reform can be explained partly 
by the spirit of the time but principally by the condi- 
tion of the feudal rulers, for we must not forget 
that the education of the feudal lords was entirely 
conducted by women. Incapable of work or activity, 
having reached their majority, they were accustomed 
to pass their time in pleasure and idleness. Sur- 
rounded by handsome wives and concubines, they 
found delight in music, singing, and dancing, and 
they had all they desired. 

The government, accepting the sacrifice of the 
feudal rulers, as a temporary measure named them 
governors of the provinces; but this did not last 
long, for the noble governors were soon superseded 
by bureaucrats and the provinces divided into depart- 
ments or ken. The feudal owners received a com- 
pensation equal to the tenth part of their former 
income. That was quite sufficient, however, as the 
former income had to be spent in the keeping of a 
great body of armed men and numerous servants. 
Liberated from all responsibility, the feudal owners 
under these circumstances received a large income, 
allowing them to live with ease and comfort. Up to 
the time of the reforms the Japanese nobility was 
divided into two classes — the kuge and daimio. The 



84 The Land of the Rising Sun 

kuge, as relatives of the Imperial house and surpass- 
ing the daimios in rank and distinction, had not the 
wealth of the latter. Several of these daimios, like 
Satsuma, Owari, and Kaga, had great armies and 
ruled large provinces. Under the new regime they, 
lost their rights and privileges and the daimio and 
kuge formed one class, the kasoku (noble families). 
Later, in imitation of Europe, the leaders in Japan 
invented Japanese titles, corresponding to those in 
Europe, of duke, marquis, count, viscount and baron, 
the title passing to the eldest of the family. For the 
contraction of matrimony the consent of the Em- 
peror was necessary, as also was limited the right of 
adoption, which is very freely practised in Japan. 
"The Peers," it is said in the rescript, "must see that 
their children have an education according to their 
rank." The title of duke was given to the represen- 
tatives of the house of Tokugawa, to the Prince of 
Satsuma, to his uncle Shimadzu Saburo, and Prince 
Nagato. Of the twenty-four marquises, four were 
of the lower classes (Kido, Okubo, Nakayama, Ta- 
dayoshi) . All the ministers were made counts. The 
title of count was given to sixty members of the 
nobility and to fourteen who had rendered special 
services in the Restoration. There were created, 
besides, three hundred and twelve viscounts and six- 
ty-nine barons. 

The indemnity which was given to the feudal 
lords, and the titles and decorations, which were 
showered upon them with a generous hand, recon- 
ciled them to the new regime. This was not the case 
with the samurai (shizoku), who- had also' received 
an indemnity, but not enough to place them in easy 



The Land of the Rising Sun 85 

circumstances. In 1871 the samurai were allowed 
to go without arms, and many of them, keeping the 
Japanese costume, adopted European hats. In 
1876 a day of rest, or Sunday, was introduced. The 
first to profit by the benefits of tolerance were the few 
Christians, who had suffered so much from calami- 
ties and who stood firm in their religion in spite of 
all persecutions. The missionaries flocked in great 
numbers to the country and began their work quite 
openly. In 1876 an order was issued prohibiting the 
carrying of arms, excepting by those belonging to 
the Court, army, navy and police. 

The Imperial period beginning so brilliantly was 
darkened by several bloody episodes, among which 
the Satsuma revolt plays a prominent role. The re- 
forms had gone so smoothly that all Japan seemed 
to be applauding. From where could discontent 
arise and what could be the causes of revolt? How- 
ever, there were many discontented. First of all the 
agitation began among the samurai of Satsuma, 
Tosa, Hizen and Choshiu, who had rendered such 
services to the Restoration. Among those discon- 
tented with the new regime was the Prince of Sat- 
suma, who on every occasion stated his preference 
for the old times. But the Court knew how to ap- 
pease this sulking prince — it gave him a high title 
and dispatched the Satsuma samurai on an expedi- 
tion against Formosa, appointing as general-in-chief 
the principal adviser of the Satsuma prince, Saigo 
Takamori, who had taken a prominent part in the 
Restoration. 

In spite of this the agitation gained ground, and 
the numerous class of samurai, without occupation 



86 The Land I of the Rising Sun 

or means, demanded some activity, and not finding 
it, turned to politics. 

About this time began misunderstandings between 
Japan and Korea, who treated her neighbor with 
contempt, mocking at the adoption of the buffoon 
European costume. The prospect of war was pleas- 
ing to the discontented and restless element in Japan, 
but the peace party predominated and Saigo Taka- 
nori retired in displeasure to his estates. Following 
this were the disturbances in Saga and Choshiu, 
where the revolutionists raised the old war-cry 
against foreigners. "There is but one thing left to 
us," was said in the proclamation, " that is to try 
our arms against those who favor the foreigners." 

All these uprisings were crushed, but it was not 
an easy matter for the government to deal with the 
revolt in Satsuma, headed as it was by the popular 
and beloved hero Saigo Takamori. 

There was a rumor spread among the Satsuma 
samurai that emissaries had arrived in the country 
to kill Saigo. We will not dwell on the episode of 
this struggle except that it finished unfortunately 
for Satsuma. The Imperial army after energetic 
resistance on the part of the insurrectionists defeated 
them in several encounters. Among those killed was 
the great Saigo. 

Thousands visit the monument of this popular 
general, whose soul, according to popular belief, 
passed to Mars. With Saigo perished the last repre- 
sentative of old feudal Japan. His mighty, athletic 
figure, and his extraordinary capacities, stamping 
him a national hero, were not in harmony with the 
new bureaucratic regime of Japan. Snatched wholly 



The Land of the Rising Sun 87 

from another epoch, he can be placed side by side 
with the great dictators Yoritomo, Hideyoshi, and 
others. 

After this last flash of feudalism Japan marched 
steadily on the road to reform, culminating- in the 
promulgation of a Constitution in 1889, which came 
into active force the following year. 

This constitutional movement began with the fall 
of feudalism. The creation of a Senate (1875) and 
of provincial assemblies (1879) ^i^ not satisfy pub- 
lic opinion, which clamored insistently for a popular 
assembly. Petitions and memorials poured in upon 
the government, and among the petitioners were 
high officials, such as Okuma, Soyeshima, Goto, Ita- 
gaki, and others. By the Constitution the person of 
the Emperor is declared "sacred and inviolate." 
Out of 332 paragraphs of the Constitution, 17 are 
dedicated to the Emperor and his dynasty, whose 
lineal succession was unbroken for "ages eternal." 

The throne passes to the male descendant of the 
Emperor, not necessarily to the sons of the Empress, 
as in the present case the heir apparent is not the 
son of the Empress, but of a lady-in-waiting. The 
Emperor approves the laws, convenes, closes, or dis- 
solves the house of deputies ; in case of urgent neces- 
sity or to avert public calamities the Emperor may 
issue ordinances in place of law, but these ordinances 
must be approved by the following Diet or become 
invalid in the future. The executive power is en- 
tirely in the hands of the Emperor, as also the 
supreme command of the army and navy. He de- 
clares war, makes peace and concludes treaties, 
confers titles, rank, orders, and other marks of 



88 The Land of the Rising Sun 

honor; orders amnesty, pardon, commutation, and 
rehabilitation. 

In the third chapter of the Constitution it is stated 
that the Imperial Diet consists of two houses, the 
House of Peers and the House of Commons. The 
House of Peers comprises the following members : 
I. Members of the Imperial family; 2. Princes and 
marquises after attaining the age of 25 ; 3. From 
the persons with the title of count, viscount and 
baron, only a certain number (fifth part) are elected 
by their corporations for a term of seven years; 4. 
In each Fu (chief town) and ken (department) one 
member from the fifteen highest taxpayers is elected 
for seven years; 5. A limited number of life mem- 
bers, appointed by the Emperor for meritorious ser- 
vices to the State, or for erudition. 

The House of Commons consists of deputies, 
elected by ballot one per 2,000 electors (131,285 
inhabitants). The voter must be 25 years of age 
and pay direct national taxes of not less than $15 a 
year. 

Out of a population of 46,540,754, there are only 
459,309 paying direct taxes of $15. If we compare 
that with England we find the following propor- 
tions : 

England. Japan. 

Population 42,422,000 46,540,754 

Number of members of parliaments 670 300 

Electors, more than 40,000,000 457,309 

The expenses of the Ministry of the Interior, al- 
ready previously approved by former laws, do not 
require to be submitted to the Imperial Diet. The 
same is the case with the expenses, which according 
to the Constitution are the prerogatives of the Em- 



The Land of the Rising Sun 89 

peror. Thus on the basis of the Constitution, out 
of a budget of 80,000,000 (the sum named at the 
convening of the first Diet), only 12,000,000, or 
more than a sixth part is submitted for the approval 
of the Diet. 

The capital put on a festive appearance on the day 
of the promulgation of the Constitution, but these 
festivities were darkened by the tragic death of Min- 
ister Mori, who was looked upon as one of the strong 
partisans of Europeanism. He was accused of dis- 
respect to the temple of Ise. When he visited this 
temple and when the priest present upon this occa- 
sion did not allow him to go farther, Mori lifted 
with his cane the hanging and peeped into the inter- 
ior of the temple. The avenger of the outrage to 
this holy shrine, Nishino Buntaro, killed the Minister 
with a kitchen knife, not wishing to pollute with the 
blood of the Minister the noble Japanese sword. 
This unsolicited defender of the old faith became 
the hero of the day, his name rang in poetry, and his 
tomb was covered with flowers and offerings. His 
admirers even considered erecting a monument to 
him, but the government put a stop to this agita- 
tion, forbidding the newspapers to mention the name 
of Nishino Buntaro. 

The elections took a turbulent form in many places 
and sometimes ended in a hand-to-hand fight be- 
tween the followers of different parties. All those 
who know the Japanese and their distinguishing fea- 
ture, politeness, are struck by these exhibitions of 
rough violence and must see that in the ordinary 
run of social life a new current has appeared. In 
the newspaper world also reigned a new spirit. As 



90 The Land, of the Rising Sun 

an example, the whole staff of a humoristic paper 
was condemned to the severest punishment for lese- 
majesty. But all this did not retard the convening 
of the Diet the 7th of November, 1890. 

The opening of Parliament was a gala day in the 
capital ; all the streets were hung with national flags 
(red sun on the white ground) and variegated gar- 
lands and lanterns, and filled with people. Soldiers 
in new uniforms, and police, lined the way the Em- 
peror should pass. Near the Parliament there was 
comparative quiet. The Parliament Building is con- 
structed of wood, several stories high, resembling 
European barracks. At two o'clock in the central 
hall the Peers assembled, with the Count Ito at their 
head, dressed in gold-embroidered uniforms, and 
took the right side. The throne stood on an eleva- 
tion, and above it was something resembling a Phry- 
gian cap, the old head-dress of the Japanese em- 
perors. The diplomatic corps and the press occu- 
pied the boxes ; women were not admitted. 

At two o'clock, amidst the firing of cannon and 
the strains of the national hymn, the Emperor, pre- 
ceded by the high court officials, carrying the Imper- 
ial regalia, accompanied by the princes, entered the 
Parliament. The Ministers took their place at the 
right of the throne and the Emperor delivered his 
address. After the address a salute of one hundred 
and one guns was fired and the cortege left the Par- 
liament. Among the Peers only the Satsuma prince 
was remarked with the old Japanese top-knot, recall- 
ing ancient Japan. 

The Parliament Building, constructed after the 
plans of a German architect, in its interior decora- 



The Land of the Rising Sun 91 

tion, electric lights, and braided livery of the door- 
keeper, in no way recalls old Japan. Only in the 
servants' quarters, one finds matting, braziers (hi- 
bachi), and things pertaining to the every-day life 
of the Japanese. 

The House of the Deputies is formed of nine 
Latin V's, spread fanshape in the form of a semi- 
circle. Three hundred deputies are divided into 
nine sections. Every section elects out of its midst 
permanent members of the committees and commis- 
sions. The V's are separated one from the other by 
passages, converging to one point, where are placed 
the tribune, the seat of the Speaker, the secretaries 
of the House, and the Ministers, 

The places are drawn by lot, resulting in the pecu- 
liar characteristic that there is not the usual group- 
ing of parties. Before the seat of each deputy is a 
desk, on the top of which is a number. When he 
occupies his seat he raises the top and the number 
can be seen from all sides. Formerly the deputies 
were addressed only by their numbers, but this cus- 
tom is no longer practiced except by a few conserva- 
tives, who say, "No. — has said so and so," When 
the orator wishes to speak he calls, "Mr. President, 
No. 56," not mentioning his name. This cry arises 
sometimes from different ends of the House, every 
one trying to catch the eye of the President. 

The orators speak from their places or mount the 
tribune. All those who have witnessed a session 
of the House are struck by the extraordinary calm 
and aplomb displayed by the Japanese deputies. In 
other places where the representative institutions 
have taken root one often sees persons who through 



92 The Land of the Rising Sun 

timidity, nervousness, or fear get confused and fin- 
ish by a complete fiasco. But the Japanese deputy 
dehvers his speech before his listeners with as much 
self-possession as if he were addressing a few close 
friends. The speeches are businesslike and uni- 
formly monotonous, as the House does not encour- 
age flowery dramatic exclamation and oratorical 
display. Four hours is too short a time and the 
speeches must be concise and full of contents, as the 
Japanese language is distinguished by its lack of 
clearness and confusing character. 

The new conditions called forth new orators, such 
as Suyematsu Keigo, who, forsaking the flowery and 
obscure Chinese rhetoric, adopted short and clear 
phrases. At first the listeners smiled at this innova- 
tion, but soon Suyematsu Keigo had followers. 
There is even an orator in the European style, In- 
ouye Kakugoro. Japan, having before its eyes the 
European obstructionists, profited by the experience 
and guaranteed its Parliament from excesses, giving 
great power to its Speaker and making him indepen- 
dent of the assembly. Each House chooses three 
candidates, one of whom is appointed by the Em- 
peror as Speaker. 

The system of ideographic signs made it almost 
impossible to take down the speeches according to 
European methods, but thanks to the efforts of Me- 
tamoto, stenography was introduced, and thirty-six 
stenographers, receiving from two to three dollars 
a day, are at work in the Parliament. 

What was the result of the first session of the 
Diet ? The House took a resolution on the import- 
ant question of the koseki (registration, which had 



The Land of the Rising Sun 93 

existed for a thousand years). In every district 
bureau there is a register in which a page is conse- 
crated to every Japanese registered in the district; 
all the principal events of his life, birth, marriage, 
travels, change of name, birth of children, adoption, 
inheritance, are written thereon. The House ap- 
proved the law on weights and measures, and re- 
jected the law on lawyers and the poor-law. Most 
of the time was spent on the budget and every effort 
was made to cut down the salaries. Only one thou- 
sand pounds was left to the Prime Minister, and to 
the judges a mere pittance (from £85 to £400 a 
year). The English paper, speaking of this Diet, 
remarks, "Much cry, but little wool." 

We may add also that the deputies tried to make 
restrictions concerning foreigners residing in the 
country and possessing lands unlawfully under Jap- 
anese names. 

Together with the constitution, the departments 
were organized on a new system. At the head of 
each department was placed a minister with one or 
two assistants; each department was divided into 
bureaus with a director at their head and all the gov- 
ernment employees were obliged to pass an exam- 
ination. 

The Judicial organization was made on German 
and French lines, and there were created justices of 
peace, provincial or district courts, Court of Ap- 
peal, and a Court of Cassation. 

While the penal code on new lines was easily ac- 
cepted, the code on civil law and civil procedure 
met with great opposition on the part of the Japan- 
ese public, who protested against borrowing Euro- 



94 The Landof the Rising Sun 

pean laws, which had nothing in common with the 
ancient customs and legal ideas of the Japanese. 
The greatest lawyers and the faculty of law at the 
University of Tokyo joined in this protest. 

The circle of reforms was completed with these 
legislative measures. The Japanese adopted as 
fast as possible European institutions, guns, war- 
ships, means of transportation and all that Europe 
offered in science and technics, showing by this 
wholesale borrowing, as they admit themselves, 
great eclecticism. They point for example to their 
own soldiers, saying, "Look ! his boots are Austrian, 
his uniform French, and his kepi German." At the 
earliest possible moment they got rid of their Euro- 
pean and American instructors, paying them off with 
large pensions, and in so doing catered to the na- 
tional hatred of foreigners. At the same time they 
profited largely and succeeded in making a good 
fighting machine of their country. 

These adaptations, as in all reform movements, 
were not devoid of comical episodes. For instance, 
what can be funnier than a Japanese making his 
New-year visits in a badly made evening dress with 
short trousers and Japanese sandals, and on his head 
a top hat of another epoch. 

Later we will dwell longer on the subject of 
whether the European customs, ethics, and ideals 
have been really assimilated by the Japanese and 
whether all these adopted improvements of science 
and technics have made another man of him. We 
will only observe, in passing, that this epoch of 
adaptation did not always go smoothly — there were 
flashes of reaction in the name of old Japan, which 



The Land of the Rising Sun 95 

each time demanded a victim. Thus perished at the 
hand of an assassin the statesman Okubo, then Mori, 
and an attempt was made on the Hfe of Okuma, 
when he took measures for the revision of treaties 
and the opening of the whole country to foreigners ; 
but the champions of old tradition were unable to 
stem the forward movement. 



Chapter X 

Condition of religion in Japan — The chances of Christianity. 

In our historical sketch we have already spoken 
of the religious beliefs of the Japanese and how they 
succeeded and complemented each other. In the be- 
ginning of the reign of the present Emperor the 
government, wishing to return to the national re- 
ligion (Shintoism), did all in its power tO' uproot 
Buddhism. This resulted in the giving back to 
Shintoism of many Buddhist temples, thereby de- 
priving the Buddhists of a great income. Buddhism 
already in the preceding century had lost its vitality, 
and this stroke definitely crushed it. Confucianism 
and Shintoism were unable to fill its place and the 
government changed its views on religion, and at 
the present time one can say that practically there is 
no State religion in Japan. Every sect avails itself 
of the good disposition of the authorities, who only 
demand one thing — the obedience to law. The Jap- 
anese school is without any religious instruction 
(confession's loss). 

As regards religion, the Japanese can be divided 
into two categories. Among the common people 
gross superstition and formalism prevails and among 
the enlightened class complete atheism and skepti- 
cism, as the result of Confucianism and Buddhism. 

Buddhism in its pure form recognizes only non- 



The Land of the Rising Sun 97 

existence — the world is a dream and life a casualty 
without meaning- or aim. The absolute does not 
exist in this world, humanity cannot grasp it, and 
therefore it is foolish to imagine that divinity trou- 
bles itself with the fate of humanity. All earthly 
joys in the face of Nirvana are childish illusions. 
The fear of new life (transmigration of souls) 
makes the individual creature strive for purity in 
order to disappear into eternity. But which road to 
choose, what life to lead, if the vanity of all that 
is earthly is proven and with non-existence at the 
end? If the future holds nothing but rest and 
the foretaste of Nirvana, then man must choose an 
ascetic life and patiently await non-existence or seize 
all the joys which life offers, as beyond there is 
nothing. 

Ascetics certainly exist, but in the minority; and 
the others, who give themselves to earthly pleasures, 
form the great majority of Japanese society. This 
was the soil in which began the planting of Chris- 
tianity at the end of the nineteenth century. In the 
beginning, thanks to the missionary schools, in 
which the Japanese principally strove to acquire for- 
eign languages and sciences, Christianity could boast 
of great success. In a very short time Christianity 
counted more than 100,000 followers. Then came 
a reaction in the national spirit and the Christian 
movement stopped for a long period. Seeing the 
modest success of Christianity to-day, one involun- 
tarily compares it to the mighty religious enthusi- 
asm which swept over Japan in the sixteenth cen- 
tury, and asks the question, what are the causes of 
this failure? 



98 The Land of the Rising Sun 

It has been already pointed out that Japanese, edu- 
cated to atheism and indifference, were not in the 
nineteenth century inclined to accept Christianity. 
In the sixteenth century the teachers of Christianity 
were exclusively Catholics, and the Japanese em- 
bracing- it never suspected that there were divisions. 
So only upon arrival of the Protestants, English and 
Dutch, there began a reaction against Christianity. 
At the present time there is a struggle for predomi- 
nance between the Catholics and Greek Orthodox, 
and as for the Protestants, every sect sends its rep- 
resentatives and this rivalry certainly does not lead 
to the strengthening of the Christian religion. To- 
gether with the Protestant sects, there are rational- 
istic teachings which please the Japanese by their 
novelty. 

In view of the advance of Christianity the follow- 
ers of the old religions started up tO' resist, and they 
subjected the Christian teaching to the most unspar- 
ing criticism. One of these detractors of Christian- 
ity places on one plane the Japanese cosmogony and 
the Bible, both of which he treats as fables which 
cannot sustain any criticism. 

If God was Almighty he could have preserved 
man from sin and then there would be no need of 
redemption. 

Steeped to the marrow in Confucianism, the Jap- 
anese, like the ancient Greeks, cannot understand the 
teaching of sinfulness, and where there is no sin is 
no redemption. "To comprehend sin," says Tori 
Takahasi {Far East, April, 1898), "one must be 
born a Semite." Another Japanese says that if his 
countrymen must throw off obsolete Buddhism and 



The Land of the Rising Sun 99 

choose a new philosophical contemplation of the 
world, the nearest and the most comprehensible 
would be agnosticism or unitarianism. 

As for Christian ethics, they cannot reconcile that 
for sake of Christ one must leave father and mother. 
This is contrary to Japanese ethics, which places 
higher than all, loyalty to one's sovereign and self- 
sacrificing devotion to one's parents. 

Here are in a few strokes the principal obstacles 
which Christianity encountered in Japan ; but if one 
takes into consideration that the Christian propa- 
ganda is comparatively recent (30 years) it is im- 
possible to judge of its ultimate success. The Jap- 
anese people, as they say themselves, are inconstant, 
and the first successes of Christianity in Japan were 
due to its being the fashion; but when the fashion 
passed and under the influence of reaction arose the 
cry, "Japan for the Japanese," many followers of 
Christianity fell off, but on the other hand, many re- 
mained firm in their faith. The enemies of Chris- 
tianity pointed out that the Christian Japanese could 
not be good patriots; but the last war with China 
proved the contrary, and the Christian soldiers and 
officers proved their valor and patriotism on the 
battle-field. 

This served the cause of Christian propaganda, 
which gained many adherents among the Japanese 
soldiers. It is beyond doubt that although Chris- 
tianity has not made the sudden strides that could 
have been expected in the beginning, it does not lose 
ground and has followers in all the spheres of Jap- 
anese society. At the opening of the first Parlia- 
ment the Speaker was a Christian and Christians 

LcfC. 



100 The Land io£ the Rising Sun 

occupied prominent positions in the Supreme Court, 
Army and Navy (several admirals). 

When Christianity was first introduced into Japan 
(sixteenth century) it was received with enthusiasm 
and became a part of the bone and sinew of the peo- 
ple, who showed the force of their conviction by 
dying as martyrs. In later times Christianity came 
under a foreign flag as a thing of fashion, and the 
Japanese, according to his taste or worldly consid- 
erations, became Greek Orthodox, Catholic, or Prot- 
estant. It is difficult to predict the ultimate success 
of Christianity when one sees that in 30 years there 
are no more than 150,000 Christians (25,000 Ortho- 
dox), a very small percentage of a population of 
46,000,000. But the seeds are cast and the future 
only can show what the harvest will be. One thing 
is clear, however, that the Japanese in assimilating 
Christianity will give it their national color. 



PART SECOND 

PERSONAL IMPRESSIONS 
Chapter XI 

First day in Japan — Kobe — European quarter — Hiogo — Jinrik- 
sha — Street life — ^Japanese houses — Hot springs of Arinia 
— Temple of Ikutonomiya — Monument to Kiyomori — 
Osaka — Nara — Statue of Buddha. 

Every one is familiar with that strange, restless 
feeling of curiosity which takes possession of the 
traveler at the moment he makes acquaintance with 
a new country. He is carried away by his desire to 
see all and his unquenchable thirst for more and 
more new impressions. All this I felt at the sight 
of the Japanese port of Kobe, where the Messageries 
Maritimes ships put in for more than twenty-four 
hours on their run between Shanghai and Yoko- 
hama. 

At first glance Kobe presents but little which ap- 
pears Japanese, It is a pretty, clean, well-ordered 
European town, beautifully situated at the foot of a 
high mountain and having a good landing quay. 
Kobe is the center of a large trade, occupying in the 
import and export trade the second place after Yoko- 
hama. The European settlement, before the new 
treaties on consular jurisdiction, was governed by 
its own municipal council, had its own European 



102 The Land of the Rising Sun 

police. On the whole it is very much like all Euro- 
pean settlements in the East. One cannot apply to 
them the European word *'town" — there are no 
many-storied houses, huddled together and narrow, 
dirty streets with a poverty-stricken and forlorn 
population of big cities. It reminds one more of 
Tzarskoye or Pavlovsk with their rows of hand- 
somely constructed houses in the midst of green 
lawns and gardens of blossoming plants. Excellent 
roads and broad, shady alleys produce a gay, agree- 
able impression, and certainly in every settlement 
there are offices, banks and shops, and in this re- 
gard the settlements resemble our own towns. Liv- 
ing in one of these beautiful houses with a large 
garden one seems to be all the year round in the 
country. The English generally are past-masters 
in the art of arranging their lives on a larg-e, com- 
fortable scale, and in the Far East they live sur- 
rounded by ease and luxur)7- such as even wealthy 
persons cannot have in Europe. But there must 
be some compensation for separation from family 
and home and the deprivation of theatres, music, 
and all the charms of European life. This Euro- 
pean quarter, however, with its luxury and grand 
scale of living is in no way original, and what in- 
terests the stranger is the native quarter with its 
characteristic types and customs. Therefore he does 
not remain long in Kobe, but hastens to Hiogo, 
which is much larger than its neighbor. One finds 
at one's disposition a neat little hand- vehicle (jin- 
riksha) drawn by a man. The first time one rides 
in it one feels conscience-stricken to treat a man as a 
beast of burden, but the feeling soon grows dull, 



The Land of the Rising Sun 103 

and one often hears a stranger urging his man on 
with a cry "hayaku" (quicker). These human 
horses are very careful when they come to a hollow 
in the road or descend a steep incline, and they know 
very well what sights to show to a European. They 
trundle him along in the streets, showing him the 
shops where curios are sold, and are sure to receive 
a certain commission from the shopkeeper. The 
costume of this kurumaya is original. He wears a 
round hat like a washbasin upside down, or a big 
mushroom, on his head; a short blue jacket, and in 
cold weather a red shawl or blanket, narrow blue 
trousers, and straw sandals on his feet. 

The streets are filled with bright life and bustle. 
Japanese women in colored kimonos, waddling like 
ducks, scrape along in their wooden galoshes, not 
to mention a whole collection of children of all ages, 
tiniest babies, tied to the back of their brothers and 
sisters, all having undisturbed possession of the mid- 
dle of the street. It is very funny to see these small 
children with babies on their backs, quite forgetting 
their burden, running and racing with their compan- 
ions, rolling over on the ground, yet by natural in- 
stinct protecting the young ones from harm. One 
sees a small child running for dear life, while the 
little baby tied on his back dozes, his head nodding 
in time with the quickest step of his nurse. Count- 
less numbers of carriers (coolies), carrying straw 
baskets with every conceivable article for sale, or 
portable kitchens with sweets made of rice; fisher- 
men with live fish in buckets of water; the blind 
amma or masseur, making plaintive music on his 
reed ; the bathman inviting the public to come into 



104 The Land of the Rising Sun 

his bath, where all bathe together reo-ardless of age 
or sex — all is striking by its newness and original- 
ity, and yet in all this motley crowd there is no jos- 
tling and no noise. Every face is pleasant and 
happy, all are laughing and smiling, as if the}- are 
delighted to see each other; and when acquaintances 
meet, polite bows are exchanged by bending the body 
nearly double, the hand resting on the knees and 
remaining in this position and watching out of the 
comer of the eye for the one of superior rank to 
make the first move to lift his head. Even soldiers, 
forgetting their military salute, sometimes do the 
same, meeting their friends. Like the Russian 
yamtshik, who whip up their horses to rush through 
a village, so the lairumaya rushes through the nar- 
row streets, and the shops filled with all sorts of 
wares gleam before you in rapid succession — kitch- 
ens with displays of salt, smoked, and fresh fish, rice 
and potatoes, soy and horseradish (daikon) in thin 
slices, a favorite Japanese dish. The buyer eats his 
meals there on the street with chopsticks, and minute 
cups of green tea are served gratis to every visitor. 
\\'e finally stopped before a curio shop, and great 
was the display of articles made of ivory and tor- 
toise shell, bronze idols, china, lacquerware, arms, 
etc. In the first room facing the street the poorest 
wares are shown, the better class being displayed in 
a back room; but in order to see these things one 
must remove one's shoes not to soil the handsome 
matting. Here we go. Japanese fashion in stocking- 
feet, and purely out of curiosity enter the next room, 
where we are struck by the immaculate cleanliness 
and complete lack of furniture, ^^'here do the Jap- 



The Land of the Rising Sun 105 

anese sit? They sit on the floor, eat on the floor, 
and sleep on the floor, on thick quilts, which are 
hidden in the daytime in closets in the walls. Many 
Europeans think that Japanese live in paper houses. 
This is not so ; but certainly their houses are original 
in construction and not at all like ours. First they 
plant four posts on which they place the heavy, mas- 
sive roof; this finished, they construct two solid 
walls of stone and mortar or wood reaching- to the 
roof. The foundation is generally missing in Japan- 
ese houses and the floor is laid at a considerable 
height from the ground. On the other two sides 
there are no walls, and the Japanese content them- 
selves with the sliding paper walls which move back 
and forth in grooves. The skeleton of the house 
finished, if the Japanese wishes it to consist of one 
great room or turn it into a mass of small rooms, 
it is an easy matter by means of paper sliding 
screens, but every sound can be heard from every 
corner of the house. At night or in bad weather 
there are wooden sliding screens placed on 
the sides, opening on the street and garden. 
Every morning they are removed with great noise, 
and the whole house is thrown open to the winds. 
I have already mentioned that one is struck by the 
simplicity and absence of furniture — all utensils of 
the household are carefully hidden in a small wall 
closet and articles of value are kept by rich people 
in the same manner in a fire-proof building. 

The Japanese do not ornament their rooms with 
an exposition of rare things, and in a drawing-room 
you will see one picture and one vase, that is all. 
Our kurumaya proposed to take us to the waterfall 



106 The Land of the Rising Sun 

lof Arima, about four hours from Kobe. Parts of 
the road are heavy and uncomfortable, but it is char- 
acterized by beautiful landscapes and one gathers 
some idea of life in the country. The houses are 
built of wood or clay covered with roofs of reeds 
or straw trimmed evenly with a tuft of grass or 
flowers growing at the top. The traveler notices the 
absence of chimneys. The farther one gets from 
towns the more often one meets people with a lim- 
ited costume, consisting sometimes only of fundoshi 
(piece of cloth wound about the loins) ; and even 
the kurumaya, free from the vigilant eye of the po- 
lice, divests himself of as much clothing as possible 
and is happy to run in the scantiest deshabille. It 
is interesting how in a second at sight of the police 
they throw the kirimono over themselves. The 
strictness on the part of the police is the result of 
prudish English influence. The Japanese see noth- 
ing immodest in their costumes, and one frequently 
sees Japanese women in a sitz-bath washing and 
splashing in public. It is unnecessary to describe the 
Japanese costume — every one is familiar with the 
kimono or kirimono (cut thing). In the large 
sleeves of the kimono there is always paper, which 
serves as a handkerchief or towel ; booklets and many 
other articles. The women's kimonos differ from 
the men's only in that they are longer. Those of 
the working men or artisans are very short. Many 
of these garments have the family crest on the arms 
or back. In olden times it was the coat-of-arms of 
their masters. A broad silk belt (obi) holds the 
kimono together and the women wear enormous but- 
terfly bows at the back. Formerly the Japanese 



The Land of the Rising Sun 107 

wore no shirts, excepting the Mikado, who wore a 
new one every clay under the kimono, very long and 
made of silk, and gave it away to his courtiers. 

In the cold weather the Japanese wear one wadded 
kimono over the other, which naturally seems to 
increase their size. The higher classes wear over 
the kimono a shorter one, called '*haori," which cor- 
responds to our frock coat. The peasants wear very 
tight trousers, while officers and nobles wear the 
hakama, wide Turkish trousers. The lower classes 
put on the hakama on solemn, ceremonious occa- 
sions. The day the son of the house puts the hakama 
on for the first time, at the age of five years, is con- 
sidered a great festival. In former times, when the 
Japanese dress was worn at court, the hakama of 
the courtiers was so long that it covered the feet, 
dragging on the floor. One can see them in the 
theatres at the present time. 

• On the top of the haori is worn a garment with- 
out sleeves, which corresponds to our evening dress. 
I have not yet spoken of the ingenious head dress 
of the Japanese women. Thanks to a special mastic, 
their tar-black hair is arranged in a high and sump- 
tuous coiffure, decorated with pins and flowers. The 
feet are not compressed like those of the Chinese 
women of the higher classes. They wear simple 
stockings, differing from ours in that there is a 
division for the big toe. In the house they wear 
very light sandals, or more generally walk in stock- 
ing-feet, and for the streets they have getas which 
resemble miniature benches. The necessity for these 
little street stilts is easily seen when one visits the 
muddy side streets of every Japanese town. Full 



108 The Land of the Rising Sun 

anarchy reigns at the present time with regard to 
the costume and the mixture is something incredi- 
ble. You will see a European hat or a sun-helmet 
with a Japanese kirimono, or coat and trousers with 
straw sandals or getas on the feet. Sometimes ap- 
pears an old-fashioned weather-stained top hat, left 
over from some funeral procession. 

The women, with the exception of some of the 
higher society, remain faithful to the national cos- 
tume and to national customs. In the villages the 
women unconcernedly feed their children at the 
breast or work with the breasts exposed, having 
their babies tied to their backs. In this respect the 
Japanese differ from the Javanese, who carry their 
children on their hips. Many think that this man- 
ner of carrying the child on the back is harmful 
both to the carrier and the child, who becomes bow- 
legged. The bow-leggedness of the Japanese is be- 
yond question, but whether it is the result of their 
custom of squatting or of the child being carried 
on the back is still an undecided question. 

The villages, in spite of their poverty, present a 
pretty and pleasant appearance, thanks to the mass 
of flowers and foliage with which the Japanese sur- 
round their dwellings. The middle of the streets 
are taken possession of by the children playing games 
and flying kites. The kurumayas all turn aside for 
them, but it is not so easy for those on horseback or 
in the carriage, especially as these small imps try 
their best to get under the feet of the horse or the 
carriage. 

Generally speaking, the whole life of the Japan- 
ese is passed on the street — they work, wash, and 



The Land of the Rising Sun lo^ 

dress in full view of every one; and even the privy- 
boxes, emitting- a horrible odor, are not hidden at the 
back, but are placed straight on the street and the 
contents generally sold for fertilizing purposes. 

Judging from a European standpoint everything 
is topsy-turvy in Japan. Beginning- M^ith the dwell- 
ings, the best rooms never face the street, but are 
hidden on a back court, where one finds miniature 
gardens with flowers and fountains ; their books be- 
gin at the last page, sweets are served before the din- 
ner, the wine also, and many other such things, of 
which we will speak later. 

Arima is known for its bamboo-work and many- 
colored straw-work. These mosaics of rice straw are 
very pretty. Strangers load themslves with these tiny 
boxes and cigar-cases. Besides this, Arima is noted 
for its hot springs (iron 40%). One must say that 
the Japanese are great lovers of hot baths and their 
endurance is something amazing. They think noth- 
ing of a temperature of 112° Fah. and do not wince 
at what would make a European spring out scalded. 
I have often seen a Japanese after a hot bath run 
out in the street quite naked and as red as a lobster, 
not fearing to take cold. Baths in Japan play the 
same role as they did in the time of the Romans. 
They spend hours in the public baths, where chil- 
dren, women, old and young men, splash together, 
all singing, talking and shouting together. The 
Tok5^o police, under the influence of the Europeans, 
forbid the bathing of men and women together, but 
this does not affect the provinces. This bathing- to- 
gether has one disadvantage, that it spreads skin 
diseases. There are private tanks for Europeans, 
where the water is changed, but the majority of Jap- 



110 The Land of the Rising Sun 

anese prefer to bathe in company, which is both 
cheaper and gayer. In fact it is a sort of a club. 
Before I close I must say a word of the manner 
in which the Japanese profit by these medicinal 
springs without the advice of any doctor, on the 
ground that if it is medicinal water it can do no 
harm, and the more you take of it the better. Rea- 
soning thus, when they have a chance they sit in 
these hot baths a whole day, and apparently it agrees 
with them. 

There are many temples in Hiogo, but after the 
grand stone buildings in India the temples of Hiogo 
seem pitiably poor. According to tradition the tem- 
ple of Ikuto-no-miya was built by the Empress Jingo 
after her return from the expedition to Korea (about 
the year 200 A. D. ) . 

Like all the temples of the national cult (Shinto), 
the temple distinguishes itself by its simplicity, and 
only the choice of its place attests the artistic nature 
of the Japanese and their passionate love of nature. 
They always choose for their temples a supremely 
beautiful spot, in the midst of luxurious vegetation, 
commanding an extensive view. 

In Hiogo one must also see the monument erected 
to Kiyomori. We know his history and how he 
was defeated by the great Yoritomo of the house of 
Minamoto. The artificial creation of the Island 
Tsukisima is also attributed to him. Tradition says 
that the waves twice destroyed it, and upon advice 
being asked of a wise man he recommended the sac- 
rifice of thirty human beings to be made to the 
dragon living in the bottom of the sea. Kiyomori 
ordered the high road to be watched and thirty pass- 



The Land of the Rising Sun m 

ers-by to be seized; but the people rose against this 
and the inhabitants of Hiogo were spared this mis- 
fortune. Nevertheless, thirty men were secured, and 
when they were about to be thrown in the sea the 
crowd loudly expressed its disapproval Then out of 
the crowd stepped a youth, Matsuwo Kotei, begging 
Kiyomori to free those condemned to die, offering 
himself as a redeeming victim to the dragon. His 
proposition was accepted and Matsuwo was placed 
in a stone coffin and thrown into the sea and the 
island was created without further difficulty. 

Osaka, on the bay of the same name, is about 20 
miles from Kobe, or an hour by rail. It is called, 
nobody knows why, the Japanese Venice. In com- 
mon with Venice it has a great number of canals 
and bridges, amounting to 3,500, but here the like- 
ness ends. Instead of the luxurious palaces and 
monumental buildings of Venice there are, as in all 
Japanese towns, wooden shanties and barns, and the 
traffic in the streets is so great that blockades are 
frequent. 

The Hotel Jiutei, in which I stopped, is arranged, 
so to speak, after the European fashion, but it is a 
sad parody on Europeanism. Instead of rooms there 
are pitiable little cells with bad beds, and in the win- 
ter it is cold enough to freeze wolves. The light 
shines through the walls and the draft is every- 
where. The food is awful and the price is compara- 
tively high (two or three dollars a day). It is in- 
teresting that in the same hotel there is a Japanese 
part, where it is very comfortable, according to Jap- 
anese taste. They give you thick wadded, silk quilts 
for sleeping, while in the European part the mat- 



112 The Land of the Rising Sun 

tresses and covers are beneath criticism. The Japan- 
ese half is scrupulously clean, while on the floor there 
are beautiful mattings and even carpets. It is also 
bitter cold in the Japanese half, as there are no 
stoves. 

Instead of stoves, the Japanese use a hibachi or 
wooden box, in which is placed a smaller box of 
china, earthenware, or bronze filled with red-hot 
coals and covered with ashes. In winter the family, 
assembles around this brazier to warm themselves. 
When I was in Japan in the winter it was so cold 
that the water froze in the room and the only help 
against this was to order several hibachi. In our 
European houses one would be asphyxiated by only 
one hibachi, but thanks to the plentiful ventilation 
they are without danger in a Japanese house. 

After Tokyo, Osaka is the most important town 
of Japan and is renowned from olden times for its 
theatres and sights of all kinds. It is par excellence 
the town of gaiety and pleasure and commercial 
transactions. The street Sinsei bashi, on which are 
situated theatres and places of amusement, is filled 
with life and noise, never ceasing till the late hours 
of the night. In the trade quarter is a most varied 
exposition of wares, objects of wood and leather 
from Osaka, carpets from Sakai, antiquities from 
Nara, porcelain, bronze from Kyoto, and from the 
same town beautiful embroideries, silk stuffs, bro- 
cade, cloisonne and objects of ivory. A walk on 
Sinsei bashi and Sakai-sudzi is most interesting in 
the evening, when these streets are brilliant with 
many lanterns and electric lamps, while complete 
darkness reigns in the rest of the town, and one dare 



I 



The Land of the Rising Sun 113 

not take a step without a lantern. A great crowd 
gathers before the theatres and booths, hung with 
great signs, promising all sorts of things; or in the 
shops, where various wares are exposed; or hastens 
to the elegant restaurants, built on piles and rising 
above the water like many-storied, airy pavilions. 

One of the principal sights is the fortified 
castle (O Siro) built by Hideyoshi in 1583. 
In the year 1868, during the civil war, nil 
the buildings of the castle were burned by 
the retiring armies of the Shogun, and the castle 
capitulated to the army of the Mikado without re- 
sistance. Among the fortified places in Japan the 
castle of Osaka takes the first place on account of its 
size and massive construction. It is cyclopean in 
every sense of the word ; many of the stones having 
a length of 21 feet and 10 feet high, the marvel is 
how such masses were lifted to such heights. 
Kasmpfer says that these monoliths were brought 
by the order of Hideyoshi from the island of Init- 
sima on six barges tied together. Undertaking the 
expedition to Korea, in order to weaken the mighty 
feudal lords he zealously fortified his stronghold, 
which should strengthen his dynasty in Japan; but 
the strong walls, running around the castle in two 
circles, were not sufficient, and his successor, Hide- 
yori, as we know was defeated by lyeyasu. 

The highest tower, with the stone foundation, the 
wooden part of which was burned, commands a 
beautiful view of the town, which, thanks to its 
white walls, can be called the white city. Afar 
stretches out the valley, cut by numerous canals, and 
surrounded by mountains. The castle is now occu- 



114 The Land of the Rising Sun 

pied by troops, which were drilHng hke Europeans 
when I visited it. In Osaka the temple of Kodzu-no- 
miya is noted for its great age, supposed to have 
been built by Nintoku Tenno. The tradition tells 
us that the MikadO' Nintoku, when climbing a hill, 
noticed that at the hour when all the population was 
taking its meals no smoke issued from the houses. 
Counting this as a clear sign of the poverty of the 
people, Nintoku freed them from taxes for three 
years, and his own palace, owing to lack of means, 
began falling in ruins. When his people had recov- 
ered, he began to restore it with energy. Nintoku 
was wont to say that the wealth of the monarch con- 
sisted in the prosperity of his subjects. The Budd- 
hist temple of Tennoji, situated to the southwest of 
the city, was built by the celebrated Mma-yado' or 
Setoku Taishi, of whom the legend says that his 
mother saw in a dream Kwannon Sama, a deity of 
the Buddhist pantheon, who promised to incarnate 
herself in her and save the world. She became en- 
ceinte and in a stable gave birth to a son, who was 
called Mma-yado-no-odzi or prince of the stables. 
This infant, as would be expected, was a phenom- 
enon. He talked at four months of age, and when 
he was thirteen months old, turning toward the east, 
he exclaimed "Namu Butsu!" or blessed Buddha. 
Having obtained a certain prominence he was ap- 
pointed heir apparent and co-regent of the Empress 
Suiko. To him is attributed the first calendar in 
Japan, a code of law, and thanks to him Buddhism 
spread in the country. When he died he was given 
the title Setoku or divine blessing. 



The Land of the Rising Sun 115 

Opposite to the chapel dedicated to Mma-yado is 
a bell, Indo-no-kane, which the visitor rings, beg- 
ging Mma-yado to introduce the dead into paradise. 
All sorts of toys, dolls, and children's clothes are 
dedicated to Setoku. In the court there are children 
with cages, proposing to the visitor to free the little 
birds. A little farther on is the five-storied pagoda 
built in the seventeenth century and decorated with 
elephant heads. In this pagoda are the portraits of 
Buddha and seven teachers of Buddhism, and from 
the heights of the tower there is a view of the town 
and surrounding country. 

Returning to my hotel I found a young man, who 
presented himself as one of the staff of the paper 
Mainichi Shimhun, interviewing me as to my polit- 
cal views. For my part I questioned him on his 
paper and learned that the Daily Gazette is a liberal 
organ, having 10,000 subscribers. The expenses are 
insignificant (1000 yen a month) ; 50 yen (corres- 
ponding to $25 American) is received by the chief 
editor. On the following day there appeared in the 
paper a long political conversation, which I had 
never dreamed of, and which was pure invention on 
his part. I had neither time nor desire to contra- 
dict him and continued my journey to Nara. 

Nara was the capital of Japan under seven emper- 
ors (704-784 A. D.) and was renowned for the 
magnificence and richness of its buildings. As wit- 
nesses of the former grandeur of this dethroned cap- 
ital are the numerous temples, which attract a great 
number of worshippers. I will not describe the five- 
storied pagoda, the temple of Kasga, Nigwatsu, and 
others, for the charm of Nara is not in its old tem- 



116 The Land io£ the Rising Sun 

pies, but in the surrounding nature. The silence and 
solitude of its wonderful forest, with its giant trees, 
under the shadows of which have found refuge the 
dwellings of the faithful and sorrowful souls, pro- 
duce a melancholy and solemn impression. Deer 
wandering in the forest are so tame that they come 
running to be fed by the visitor. 

The most wonderful thing of Nara is a colossal 
statue of Buddha (53 feet high). Buddha is repre- 
sented sitting on his feet on the sacred lotus, with a 
double row of leaves. His right hand is raised, 
while the left rests on his knee. Formerly the statue 
was gilded and one sees even now the gilding. In 
the year 1080 the temple containing the statue was 
burned and the head was melted. The same fate 
befell it in 1567, so that a new head was made, the 
workmanship of which is not as fine as the rest of the 
statue. Now they have constructed a building above 
the statue, which in my opinion is much too low in 
comparison with the colossal dimensions of the fig- 
ure. On the return way I was shown a crematory. 
The ovens are enormous and hermetically closed. Be- 
fore the building, where the bodies are burned, is a 
clean court and a gallery, decorated with artificial 
flowers surrounding it. 



Chapter XII 

Old capital of Japan — Industrial exhibition — Jubilee — Miako 
odori — The two-thousand-year-old tree of Karasaki — 
Arashi Yama. 

From Osaka to Kyoto is only an hour's trip by 
rail, and as one approaches Kyoto the country be- 
comes more picturesque, until Kyoto, giving in no 
way the impression of a large city, appears. The 
streets are lined with low barns and shanties, remind- 
ing one of a newly laid out settlement in the West of 
the United States, and it seems that it is not a town, 
but a big village. It has a sleepy appearance. There 
is no movement in the streets, and everywhere reigns 
deathly stillness, excepting near the theatres, where 
the crowd gathers and the scene is enlivened. The 
regularity of the streets accentuates this tediousness. 
But the charm of the place lies in the suburbs of this 
old western capital. Among the hills surrounding 
the town in a semi-circle are situated monasteries, 
temples, secular old groves, suburban palaces in gar- 
dens, villas, restaurants, and elegant tea-houses. 
Owing to an abundance of water, which gushes forth 
in pretty cascades or murmurs in ravines, all is fresh- 
ness and succulent green. In the midst of these poet- 
ical surroundings is situated the Hotel Yami, ar- 
ranged in European style; and, if there are discom- 
forts, they are forgotten in the rapturous admiration 
of the surrounding landscape. 



118 The Land of the Rising Sun 

In spite of its palaces, temples, and artistic treas- 
ures, Kyoto has the appearance of a poverty-stricken 
city; but it is easy to comprehend, if we remember 
that the real power was in the hands of the Shogun, 
and that it was not to his interest to furnish abundant 
means to the Emperor, or Mikado. The poverty of 
the kuge, the relatives of the Emperor, was prover- 
bial, and they had often to earn their living, and the 
Court lived sometimes on half rations. This pov- 
erty is quite apparent on seeing the "Gose," the con- 
stant residence of the Emperor. It is surrounded by 
low stone walls, in which there are seven gates. 
Crossing a large court one sees a low, one-storied 
building, in which are the servants' quarters; an- 
other large court with the dwellings of the kuge, and 
farther on the quarters of the Court officials, and in 
the center, in an enclosure surrounded by a garden, 
the palace of the Mikado. 

The interior arrangements are most simple. The 
walls are of wood, neither painted nor lacquered, 
with wooden columns with no^ vestige of decoration ; 
but, with all this simplicity, the material was obliged 
to be of the highest class, perfect, without mar or 
flaw. The only visible luxury were the beautiful 
mattings and the sliding walls, which are covered 
with drawings by the best masters, and in this re- 
spect the palace contains invaluable treasures. I saw 
the throne-room, with portraits of the Chinese sages, 
and the audience-chamber, in which the daimios 
were received by the Mikado. This chamber had 
three elevations, where the daimios and high offi- 
cials were ranged according to rank. Higher than 
the third grade, or step, there was a platform with 



The Land of the Rising Sun 119 

a lowered silk curtain, behind which was the throne, 
where sat the Mikado. When he had taken his 
place the curtain was pulled up as far as his knees ; 
thus no one could look upon his face. Such an ar- 
rangement was very convenient in view of the many 
palace revolutions, as it was an easy matter to 
change the Emperor, no one being the wiser. 

The gardens surrounding the palace are charm- 
ingly beautiful, containing a small pond with the 
floating lotus, with the favorite Japanese porous 
stones covered with moss, islands, bridges, pavilions, 
all in the midst of beautiful trees, in the shadow of 
which the descendants of the gods dreamed so well 
that they even forgot their power over the rest of 
the mortals. The Shogun's palace, in comparison 
with that of the Mikado, is strikingly luxurious and 
magnificent, surrounded by massive walls, moats, 
and having the air of a citadel. Only behind these 
stone walls the Shogun felt himself safe. At Nijo- 
no-Siro, as the palace of the Shogun is called, hap- 
pened the significant event in Japanese history when, 
on the 6th of April, 1868, the present Mikado, after 
defeating the army of the Shogun, in the presence 
of the Council of State gave the solemn oath that he 
would convene a deliberative assembly and govern 
the country with regard for public opinion. After 
this Nijo-no-Siro was used for public offices, and 
the beautiful paintings were torn from the walls, and 
many were destroyed. The restoration of Nijo-no- 
Siro was completed in 1885, and at present the orna- 
mentation of the palace is in every sense luxurious. 

The word "luxury" you must understand in the 
Japanese sense; that is, the rooms are bare, devoid 



120 The Land of the Rising Sun 

of furniture, as in the simplest Japanese house, but 
the wall decorations are really magnificent. The 
carved lattice-work, which covers everything from 
the outer gates to the inner apartments, is of ex- 
quisite beauty; the sliding walls are covered with 
gold paper and decorated with manifold drawings, 
and especially beautiful are the water-color sketches 
on wood. The luxury of the Shoguns is also ap- 
parent in the abundant decorations of bronze, clois- 
onne and priceless gold lacquer on the ceilings, 
which even now awakens admiration by its artistic 
finish and beauty. Everywhere is the crest of the 
Tokugawa, the famous clover leaf, which has been 
superseded now by the chrysanthemum, the emblem 
of the Emperor. 

Of the temples in Kyoto, the monastery of Chion 
In makes a deep impression by its colossal dimen- 
sions, and by its beautiful surroundings, which so 
perfectly harmonize with it. Secular groves, broad 
terraces, disposed like gigantic staircases, give only 
the foretaste of its grandeur. The great entrance- 
hall has bare white walls and a sanctuary all re- 
splendent with gold. One can have an idea of its 
extraordinary dimensions by the fact that a Buddhist 
monk standing at the opposite end of the building 
has almost the appearance of a dwarf. 

The Japanese estimate its size by 5800 mattings, 
it being 80 feet long, 2i7 feet broad, and 80 feet 
high, and containing, according to the Japanese, 
many rare and priceless pictures. Among them are 
the Geese of Kano Motonobu (1475- 15 59), and the 
Cat, whose eyes follow one to every part of the tem- 
ple. We were also conducted across a creaking floor, 



The Land of the Rising Sun 121 

which is supposed to remind one of the song of the 
nightingale. 

Kyoto has also its great statue of Buddha, but 
as it is made of wood it does not produce the same 
impression as the Buddha in Kamakura. 

From here we visited the celebrated temple of 
33,333 statues. Although there are but 1,027 gilded 
statues, the priests assure the acuracy of the number 
of heads, as many of the statues have a row of heads 
forming a diadem on the head. These figures are 
interesting as examples of the Japanese sculpture, 
which is remarkable for its strength and delicate 
carving, but to which one cannot apply the rules of 
antique art. 

Remarkable and interesting among the other tem- 
ples is Nishi Hongwanji, belonging to the sect of 
Shinsiu, or Monto, which reject asceticism, celibacy, 
fasts, and other strict rules of Buddhism. The sect 
has a bishop under whose dependence are 10,000 
temples, and under his direct rule, besides his assist- 
ants, there are a hundred priests who live in the 
Hongwanji. The ornamentation of this temple is 
rich and magnificent, but in the same style as the pal- 
ace of the Shogun, which is easily explained by the 
fact of its having- been given by the Shogun to the 
high priest, and removed from Fushimi to its pres- 
ent place. Among the works of art the sculptures 
of Hidari Jingoro stand out. 

Examining these treasures, we suddenly found 
ourselves in a beautiful garden, which, although not 
very large, seems vast, owing to the clever grouping 
of its trees. Airy balconies of the summer villa of 
Hideyoshi hang over a small lake. Small bridges 



122 ThQ Land of the Rising Sun 

lead across babbling brooks, paths wind in and out 
to. many cosy corners where fountains play. This 
place is especially dear to the Japanese on account 
of its historical reminiscences, and they grow en- 
thusiastic, pointing out Hideyoshi's favorite spot, 
where he contemplated the moon and composed 
poetry. 

One can only conceive the refinement of life at the 
Japanese Court and of the Japanese aristocracy after 
visiting Kyoto. Here were constructed great tem- 
ples, palaces, monasteries ; here, renouncing worldly 
power, the Emperors chose beautiful spots, where, 
far from the noise and bustle of the world, they 
could dedicate themselves to study and thought. 
Idle was the life led at the Court of the Mikado, 
the courtiers passing their time in word tourna- 
ments, composing verses on different themes, guess- 
ing charades, having drawing contests, and whet- 
ting their tastes in different ways, living far from 
the strife and cares of life. Owing to this, Kyoto 
became the center of art and industry, and the Kyoto 
masters were celebrated for their delicate elegance 
and taste. Even in the present time, when the 
Court has been moved to Tokyo, Kyoto is still fa- 
mous for its bronzes, cloisonne, silk materials, em- 
broideries, brocades, velvets, crapes, satins, carv- 
ings, incrustations, china, lacquer, and pictures. In 
fact, one can pass days in these stores and work- 
shops of the local industry. And, watching them 
work, one sees their love for it, for, like real artists, 
the minutest detail is carefully worked out. You 
will see a screen which costs a thousand yen, and on 
which the master has spent several years of his life. 



The Land of the Rising Sun 123 

The cloisonne is especially beautiful, and on some of 
the vases two or more years are spent, I have 
watched them doing this work at Namikawa. On 
a copper foundation they attach small, fine wire, 
and according to the drawing to be used they fill the 
spaces between with varied-colored glass, after 
which the vase is fired four times. After the fourth 
time begins the smoothing off of rough places. At 
Namikawa's they choose small boys for this task, 
whose small hands are specially adapted to the fine, 
tedious work, and they gain from five to thirty yen a 
month. 

One cannot omit saying a word about the sur- 
roundings of Kyoto — they are simply superb. Ara- 
shi yama, with its groves of scarlet maple and wind- 
ing streams, filled with rapid cascades, has long been 
sung by Japanese poets. This mountain is wonder- 
fully beautiful in the spring, when the cherry trees 
blossom and the mass of white, red, and pink blos- 
soms stand out against the dark green foliage of the 
firs. 

Another time when I visited Kyoto, Japan was 
at the height of its war with China, and in the an- 
cient capital was being held the fourth industrial ex- 
hibition. The first experiment in this direction was 
made in Kyoto. Before the fourth exhibition the 
residents of Kyoto conceived the idea of celebrating 
the iioo-year Jubilee of the founding of the old cap- 
ital, and thought that the best means of commem- 
orating it would be the holding of an exhibition in 
Kyoto, which, as a center of art and industry, seems 
the most proper place for such an event. In com- 
parison with the exhibition of 1890, the present 



124 The Land of the Rising Sun 

shows a step forward in industrial development, and 
this progress was especially significant in time of 
war, when all the resources of the country were 
strained to the utmost. 

The monumental building for this exhibition was 
a rectangle with parallel galleries, and in the middle 
a garden with a fountain. Opposite to the back 
entrance a palace and a wooden temple, which were 
copies of buildings of the time of Kwammu (784), 
were constructed in honor of the eleven hundredth 
anniversary of Kyoto. On the right was the gallery 
of fine arts. In the open place was a stand for the 
orchestra, and a pavilion for the reception of the 
guests. At one side of the main building were the 
aquarium, fisheries department, and the restaurants. 
There were 208,713 objects exhibited and 80,060 
exhibitors, principal among whom were the people 
of Kyoto. Tokyo occupied the second place. One 
defect, however, is striking. Instead of grouping 
the objects according to their kind, they were 
grouped by provinces. Every province, receiving 
its allotted space, could arrange its exhibits accord- 
ing to its taste. 

If one desires to know the products and industry 
in each province, then this is a very good system, 
but if one is limited for time it means despair. For 
people unfamiliar with the Japanese language and 
Japanese characters the exposition is a closed book, 
for all the interesting inscriptions (place, name of 
exponents, prices) are only in Japanese and Chinese 
characters. In English the only inscriptions are 
"do not handle" and "smoking not allowed." This 
is one concession made to Europeans. Why spoil 



The Land o£ the Rising Sun 



125 



them ? But if they can borrow anything good from 
Europe, that is another matter; and in this respect 
they have ahxady profited much. They make the 
most of every new invention in Europe and Amer- 
ica, and the manufacture of cotton goods, matches, 
and other objects have given great results. Rich in 
coal and cheap labor, Japan will completely oust 
European and American products. Manchester was 
superseded by Bombay, and Japan is already a suc- 
cessful rival of Bombay. Many exhibits of this ex- 
position of which I speak were astonishingly cheap 
in comparison with the same thing in Europe. A 
saddle, with all its accessories, from Kumamoto, 
cost only from $3 to $6 in American money, and 
flannel goods from Kyoto and Ehime bring the 
same cheap price (4-9 cents a yard). 

It would be interesting to note the prices of some 
of the goods (prices in yen — one yen has one hun- 
dred cents, equal to 50 cents American) : 



Objects. 

Boots 

Red blankets. . . . 
Striped blankets. 
Handkerchiefs. . . 

Glasses 

Wine glasses. . . . 

Straw hats 

Thermometers. . . 

Watches 

White collars. . . 

Shirts 

Felt hats 

Mattinsr 



Place of 
Manufacture, 

Ehime 

Oji Tokyo. . . . 

do 

do 

Osaka , 

do 

Nagasaki 

Tokyo 

Osaka 

Tokyo 

do 

Osaka 

do 



Prices in Yen. 



2.80-4 yen. 
1.40 each. 
1.15-1.40 each. 
1.80 a dozen. 
3 a dozen. 
2.50 a dozen. 
75 c-l yen. 
50-80 c. 
2.80 each. 
8-10 c each. 
1.80 each. 
70 C-1.30 each. 
90 c-3 yen. 



126 The Land of the Rising Sun 

One can add to this list of home products pianos, 
harmonicas, musical, optical and surgical instru- 
ments, photographic apparatus, machines, carpets, 
etc. There were also telephones and electric appli- 
ances, fire engines and pumps. Among the agri- 
cultural products rice and rice brandy occupy the 
first place, and beer comes next (Kirin, Osaka). 
There was an abundant exhibition of tea, naturally ; 
also silk. There was much less fruit, however, than 
one would expect, but the apples and grapes from 
Yokohama were good. Much space is given to^ ma- 
terials, and especially uncut velvets, and the pictures 
made on this material are real chefs-d'oeuvre. The 
artist observes the most delicate shadings. The per- 
spective and work are accomplished with such care 
and artistic finish that it seems to be done with the 
brush, and not with the chisel, as the slightest false 
stroke would ruin the picture. However, even in 
Kyoto there are many artists like Asada and his son. 
To work horizontally or vertically is not so difficult 
as when the worker must cut diagonally. The life 
of these cutters on velvet is very short, on account 
of their inhaling the minute particles and fine velvet 
dust. There were magnificent specimens of clois- 
onne at the exposition, and specially the work made 
lately (fond translucide) on a silver foundation. 
The specimens of this new work are very small, but 
chefs-d'oeuvre, the silver giving special softness to 
the colors, and for this large prices are asked. There 
were many beautiful objects in bronze, lacquer, and 
wood, but nothing extraordinary. As for the porce- 
lain, artists like Seifu Kozan, Takamoto, Higuchi, 
Hansuki and Masakichi have brought the painting 



The Land of the Rising Sun 127 

and the technique to a high state of perfection. The 
embroideries on silk of Nishimura are of extraordi- 
nary beauty and finish, and make perfect pictures. 
Here is a temple, for instance, reflected in still water, 
with a few ducks swimming about to enliven the 
scene. A favorite Japanese landscape, Arashi yama 
for instance, in the time of the cherry blossoms. 
There stands a screen for which they ask 16,000 yen. 

The festivals in connection with the Jubilee were 
fixed for the autumn, some months later than the 
exposition, and a thousand official invitations were 
issued. The first day, in spite of a downpour of rain, 
nearly a thousand guests assembled at the entrance 
of the exhibition. There are many members of the 
diplomatic corps, foreigners of distinction, Japanese 
ministers, members of the Upper and Lower House, 
and other distinguished guests. The company was 
asked to remain in a pavilion near the temple, but 
when the Prince Yamashima drove up to the portico 
of the temple, the guests were invited to pass to one 
of the galleries, where the Europeans were placed 
on the right side and the Japanese on the left. The 
Prince with the most distinguished guests came for- 
ward to the center of the temple to the music of the 
national hymn. 

Then began the very tiresome ceremony of read- 
ing addresses, after which we were witnesses of a 
most interesting ceremony. About thirty Shinto 
priests, dressed in extremely rich costumes, slowly 
floated before the Prince, performing the sacred 
dance. The costumes of the priests were in every 
sense original, made of silk marly in vivid colors, 
having long floating sleeves and long trains, so that 



128 The Land of the Rising Sun 

at a distance they looked like enormous butterflies. 
On their heads they wore beautiful helmets, and I 
was told that these costumes were worn very seldom, 
and only on the most solemn occasions. The musi- 
cal accompaniment to this dance was very peculiar. 
After this ceremony, which lasted two hours, we 
were invited into a dining-hall, beautifully decora- 
ted with flags, flowers, and many-colored lanterns. 
Before each place stood a box containing a Japanese 
dinner, composed of many dishes; but the Euro- 
peans were not forgotten, for meat and wine were 
prepared for them. Each guest was supplied with 
a large napkin, in which, according to Japanese cus- 
tom, the painted boxes containing the dishes were 
to be wrapped to be carried home. After the ban- 
quet followed races in the old Japanese style, those 
taking part being dressed in old Japanese armor and 
helmets, and fully armed. The grooms with diffi- 
culty managed the wild horses, who were biting and 
kicking. Each race began with terrible cries on the 
part of the rider and the shrieks of the crowd. On 
the evening of the third of October we were asked 
to see the old dances. The concert hall in the expo- 
sition building, lighted by electric lanterns, was dec- 
orated with scarlet maple leaves of different shad- 
ings. On the stage an orchestra was playing a pot- 
pourri from an Italian opera, but which opera it was 
difficult to discover from their execution. After that 
followed Japanese music, which is distinguished by 
its discordances. What shall I tell you of the pro- 
gram ? If I say that the dances were the "beautiful 
stork" or the "happy lion" or a "garden of plum 
trees" it will surely mean nothing to you. One must 



The Land of the Rising Sun 129 

see these beautiful costumes, these charmhig- dancers, 
of which many will perhaps not be to your taste and 
their peculiar grace will not answer to our demands 
of elegance. The scene, however, was original, 
though their dancing cannot be compared to the 
terpsichorean art of our country. 

Among the ancient dances the most comprehen- 
sible were those brought over from Korea, such for 
instance as "ball game" or the ''boatman." The 
evening ended with a supper, at the close of which 
the Japanese national hymn was played, followed bv 
the American, Russian, and English hymns, the 
Marseillaise, and excuses were made to the Spanish 
minister for not being able to give the Spanish hymn. 

Although I had been several times in Kyoto, I 
never before had the occasion to see the dance Miako 
Odori, as it can be seen only in the spring, and the 
preparations being very expensive it is given only on 
extraordinary occasions. A special building for that 
purpose was erected. Hundreds of ghetas at the 
door of the theatre show the presence of a native 
audience. In the vestibule part of the public was 
waiting the end of the representation. The parterre 
in a Japanese theatre is not arranged in the Euro- 
pean fashion, but is divided in squares, where the 
people squat. The Europeans were shown to a box, 
but to the great scandal of the Japanese from each 
end of the stage they went into the pit. I must 
tell you that in a Japanese theatre from each end of 
the stage, at right angles to it, runs a gangway about 
three feet wide across the auditorium, from wdiere 
many of the actors make their entrance and exit. 



130 The Land of the Rising Sun 

When the curtain was Hfted we saw on the scene 
the summer palace of the Mikado with a veranda 
running around it. Sixteen handsomely dressed 
geishas sat on the left and right side, playing on the 
samisen (a guitar of three cords) and on a small 
drum, which they hold uplifted and beat with their 
hands; others were playing on a flat drum or on 
bells. Although I am not a lover of Japanese music, 
I was pleased with the beautiful ensemble before our 
eyes. 

At this time sixteen dancers carrying branches of 
cherry blossoms appeared on the gangway and 
gracefully moved to the stage. They were richly 
dressed in silk crape and the various colors, pink, 
red, blue, red and white enlivened the scene. Their 
coiffures were the acme of Japanese hairdressing. 
Certainly if you had looked at them closely you 
would have remarked that their faces were rouged 
and covered with white, that the eyes were black- 
ened; but at a distance and with the beautiful cos- 
tumes they presented a delightful and graceful 
picture. With gracious movements they waved 
the branches of cherry blossoms, and singing in time, 
both parties met on the scene, and then began the bal- 
let, certainly not in European style, but still full of 
grace and elegance. 

The next scene was the palace of Nara, then came 
Arashi Yama in autumn when all the mountain is 
ablaze with purple and gold. 

Then we saw the palace of the Mikado on the lake, 
and all the building, owing to the abundance of 
electrical lamps, was aglow with light. The dancers 
changed at every scene and the costumes and acces- 



The Land of the Rising Sun 131 

series were changed with them. Instead of branches 
with cherry blossoms there were fans of various 
forms and colors. Having witnessed for an hour 
this representation, one comes out without feeling 
fatigued and will forever remember the delightful 
picture, vivid and full of color, of the spring- festi- 
val in Kyoto. It is a never to be forgotten sight, 
the clear heaven, the cherry trees in bloom, whole 
allees foaming with white and pink blossoms against 
the green foliage, and a gay, festive crowd, wholly 
harmonizing with it in bright and variegated colors. 

On the following day our company went to Otsu, 
on the shores of Lake Biwa, and the carriage road 
was very picturesque. Tradition says that during a 
great earthquake appeared Fuji Yama, the holy 
mountain of Japan, and the Lake of Biwa. The 
guide conducted us by endless staircases to a shrine 
which was not worth seeing. Returning from Otsu 
we visited the two-thousand-year-old pine tree, 
which occupies a great space, and the branches of 
which must be supported by props. It is 90 feet 
high, the circumference is 37 feet, the length of one 
branch from east to west 240 feet, one from north 
to south 288 feet and the number of branches is 380. 

After breakfasting with good appetites in the 
shade of this interesting old veteran of the forest, 
several of our company decided to take a row on the 
lake, and seeing a boat on the shore unhesitatingly 
appropriated it. Soon a company of Japanese 
youths in uniforms appeared, and seeing that their 
boat was taken by foreigners were furious; but we 
succeeded in pacifying them, while our guide, seeing 
heavy clouds approaching, thought it wiser to return 



132 The Land of the Rising Sun 

at once. Our return from Otsu to Kyoto was 
through the canal, the great pride of Japanese engi- 
neering art. It is intended that this canal shall one 
day connect Biwa with the sea. Up to the present 
time it only reaches Kyoto. On the course of the 
canal several tunnels had to be constructed (the 
longest of which is 2680 yards). Lake Biwa is 280 
feet above sea level and many locks were necessary. 
For our trip we engaged a house-boat. One has a 
weird sensation entering the tunnel. Fire burns on 
top of the house-boat, lighting the narrow corridor; 
the voices of the people sound hollow, and above our 
heads is piled the great mass of the mountains. One 
little earthquake (they are frequent in Japan) and 
we would find a damp grave; but meanwhile the boat 
is noisy and gay with women's laughter and song. 
Emerging from the tunnel a beautiful, luxuriant val- 
i(€y stretches before us, enveloped in the light and 
warmth of the sun. Passing the outskirts of Kyoto 
we stopped at the temple of Kiomidzu dera. There 
are more beautiful temples in Japan and in what lies 
the peculiar charm of this one it is difficult to say. 
It is an old mass of buildings, darkened by time, and 
overhanging a steep precipice on the side of a hio-h 
mountain. There was a time when the worshippers 
voluntarily threw themselves over this precipice, but 
later a guard-railing was placed there. When I first 
proposed stopping at Kiomidzu dera all made wry 
faces, but now sitting silently above the valley, 
watching Kyoto sunk in the green mysterious mist 
of the fading day, all seemed to have forgotten the 
entire world. 



The Land of the Rising Sun 133 

The culminating point of the Jubilee festivals was 
an historical procession. All the great epochs of 
Japan passed before the spectators in costumes and 
arms of their time. First came the priests of the 
time of Kwammu Tenno in gold helmets and cos- 
tumes, which we have already described in the tem- 
ple; then followed thirty-five men in white-winged 
costumes, borrowed from Korea ; a procession of the 
time of Fujiwara in hats resembling horns of plenty; 
next came the warriors of Nobunaga in armor of the 
time of Nobunaga, when Japan first made acquaint- 
ance with Europe; the Tokugawa period and the 
procession wound up with men in evening dress and 
top hats and a modern band of music. 

On the following day we were invited to a mon- 
ster tournament, in which 1800 fencers were to take 
part ; but my time was limited and I left with regret 
the hospitable ancient capital of Japan. 



Chapter XIII 

Nagoya — The Sliogun's palace at Nagoya — European settle- 
ment in Yokohama — Rivalry of English and Germans — 
O Kin San dancers and singers — Siro or citadel in Tokyo 
— Yashiki or palaces of the feudal lords — Ministries — The 
Russian and English Legations — The Orthodox church — 
Bishop Nicholas. 

Notwithstanding its great size, Nagoya makes 
no impression whatever; Hke every Japanese town 
with its shanties and ugly Httle buildings, it looks 
unfinished, or like a town being rebuilt after a fire. 
For this reason the European buildings, the acme of 
bad taste, stand out like gigantic casernes among the 
hovels and sheds composing the town. The princi- 
pal street which traverses the town is a broad, fine 
chaussee, bordered with trees on both sides. 

Seventeen versts from Nagoya is Seto, known for 
its chinaware (china is called Japan "seto mono," or 
a thing from Seto). It is common and not to be 
compared with that of Kyoto or Arima. It is re- 
markably cheap, however, and has a wide sale, being 
especially adapted for use in garden and house deco- 
ration. There are something like 70 furnaces, with 
a thousand workmen and revenue of 250,000 yen. 

The castle of Nagoya, by happy chance, remains 
intact, and one can easily judge how the feudal 
rulers lived 300 years ag^o. This castle was built by 
order of lyeyasu for his son, the founder of the fam- 



The Land of the Rising Sun 135 

ily of the princess of Owari. If I used the word in- 
tact I mean by it the palace and the hving- part of the 
palace, for the walls are everywhere in Japan of such 
massive, cyclopean character that there was never 
danger of their falling- in ruins. 

The castle of Nagoya is surrounded by a double 
row of fortress walls, composed of enormous stones, 
with deep moats filled with water. At the present 
time a temporary bridge leads to a deep gateway, 
entering which we found ourselves in the midst of 
the military element. The military authorities, noti- 
fied of our coming, received us cordially, inviting us 
to be seated in a cold room, in which there were two 
unlighted stoves, no one knows for what use. Sweets 
and tea were offered to us and we exchanged a few 
French phrases. With the general spread of the 
English language in Japan it is quite strange to note 
that the French language predominates in the army. 
This comes by tradition from the time of the last 
Taikun (Shogun), when the instructors of the army 
were French. Then the French army was consider- 
ed superior to all others. When the Germans de- 
feated the French, the Japanese sought instruction 
from the Germans; but the French language had 
already taken root in the army and will surely retain 
its place among military men of the present genera- 
tion. Apropos, the Japanese doctors have adopted 
the German language, for the reason that the first 
teachers of the Japanese in medical science were 
Dutch, and from them the teaching passed to the 
Germans. The palace in Nagoya reminds one of 
that in Kyoto, naturally, as they were both built at 
the same time and in the same style. In spite of the 



136 The Land o£ the Rising Sun 

rich ornamentation of the walls the rooms resemble 
great barns on account of their dimensions and lack 
of furniture. The drawings which decorate the 
screens, the ones of Domori Matahe (matahe — the 
stutterer), representing a popular festival in Osaka, 
are very good and there are many small figures ad- 
mirably executed, but entirely lacking in perspective. 
In other rooms there are pictures of cherry trees in 
blossom, with pheasants of Tosano Mitsuoki, tigers 
and leopards so lifelike that they seem to spring from 
the frames. In visiting the bedrooms we were shown 
a secret underground passage leading to one of the 
towers, the builder of which was compelled to dis- 
embowel himself as soon as the work was finished. 
From thence we were conducted to the five-storied 
tower. Like all the other towers in Japan, each 
story is separated from the other by a tiled roof, the 
edges of which curve upwards. At the very top of 
this special tower are two gold Dolphins, valued at 
1 1 80,000 each, placed there by the famous Kato 
Kiomassa. One of these Dolphins was sent to the 
Vienna exposition and went down near Atami on its 
way back, with the ship Nile. It was afterwards 
recovered by divers and reinstated in its former 
place, to the great joy of the inhabitants of Nagoya. 
The Dolphins are now — for safe keeping against 
robbers — enclosed in a wire netting. 

From Idziri to Tokio we felt all the discomforts 
of an unfinished road. The country is beautiful and 
of a wild grandeur. Giant rocks overhang the rail- 
way, but there is nO' danger, the engineer tells us. 
Notwithstanding this, a year later, after a terrible 
typhoon, there was a great landslide, which closed 



The Land of the Rising Sun 137 

the traffic for a time. Upon arrival at the station of 
Idziri there was not a soul in sight and we did not 
know where to lay our heads. Leaving our baggage 
to its fate we started forth in search of shelter, 
which, after much groping through dark, unlighted 
streets, was found, to the joy of my Japanese com- 
panion, who longed for the luxury of stretching his 
limbs on a Japanese matting. Near Idziri is the port 
or town of Shimidzu Minato. It is out of the way, 
and our kurumayas wheeled us through such tortu- 
ous streets and past sheds, that I asked myself if it 
would not be better to return to the high road, when 
suddenly, as if by magic, a wonderful picture opened 
before us. Words fail and only the finest painter's 
brush could portray the beautiful contour of the bay, 
the peace and rest of the blue sea with its silent, 
white-sailed boats, and rising in the background 
the Fujisan, proudly lifting his white head and dom- 
inating- the country. I have seen Fujiyama many 
times since, but only in Minato could I realize fully 
why the Japanese have that feeling of adoration for 
their holy mountain. I can never forget the pure 
white cone, illuminated by the warm rays of the sun ; 
the luxuriant valley and the smiling, caressing sea. 
In Minato one sees the whole sweep of the mountain, 
not part of it as in other places, where the nearer 
mountains intervene. 

In the treaty concluded with Japan by the United 
States and the other powers it was stipulated that 
the Europeans should have a settlement in Kana- 
gawa, but as Kanagawa lay on the high road between 
Tokyo and Kyoto and as the European population 
was in danger from turbulent samurai, escorting 



138 The Land of the Rising Sun 

their daimios, they chose the present port of Yoko- 
hama, which was far from the Japanese and the 
high road. As for the port of Yokohama, the road- 
stead is open and inconvenient and the government 
has had to spend miUions for breakwaters. The 
town consists of a European quarter with a fine quay, 
hotels, shops in which everything can be found, and 
beautiful villas hidden in the green of the height 
dominating the city. The dirty Chinese quarter and 
the Japanese part, which stretches out in the valley is 
composed of poor, wooden buildings. The Europeans 
number a little more than a thousand, the most nu- 
merous European settlement in Japan. In spite of 
this the streets in the daytime are forlorn and one sees 
little animation, excepting the hours before breakfast 
and dinner, when the business men, or dollar grind- 
ers, as they are called here, return home from their 
work, or are on their way to the club to have a cock- 
tail and gossip about their neighbors or discuss the 
last earthquake. Many of them own magnificent 
turnouts, and among those driving are the demi-mon- 
daines, or "Americans," as they are called there, 
being worshippers of money and commanding a 
great price on the market. In spite of the fact that 
they are not in their first youth, they all find adorers 
among the business men and the gilded youth. The 
work of a business man here is not exhausting, as 
he must employ commissioners, Japanese (banto) or 
Chinese (comprador), for transactions with the 
natives, his own share being the correspondence on 
mail day. The rest of the time is spent in clubs play- 
ing poker or billiards or betting on the races. These 
latter are so important that all offices and even the 



The Land of the Rising Sun 139 

banks are closed on race days. The offices are sit- 
uated in the lower part of the town with the banks 
and hotels, but the people generally live on the bluff 
in beautiful homes. Life in these golden residences 
is lonely, however, and the one thought is to invite 
guests, therefore dinners play a great role in the Far 
East. The dinners are long, with luxurious service, 
and the evenings are spent in playing cards, music, 
and song, and the guests retire at late hours. One 
must remember that these dinners are the only dis- 
traction where there is no opera and no theatre, or 
if there is a theatrical representation or a concert it 
is generally arranged by amateurs or some passing 
artist. Therefore the dinners in the Far East mean 
everything to the foreigner. This fashion necessi- 
tates many servants, and life is conducted on a broad, 
rich scale. The English give the tone, and if the}'' 
make much money they spend it lavishly, denying 
themselves nothing. This cannot be said of the Ger- 
mans, who are saving, and only from sheer necessity 
keep up with their neighbors. Besides the dining 
there are all the sports — cricket, lawn tennis, golf, 
races, boat-races and swimming-matches. To com- 
plete the picture there are sometimes subscription 
balls, where one can see all the Tokyo and Yoko- 
hama beau monde. In spite of all this, ennui gnaws 
these favorites of fortune and a trip to Europe now 
and then is a necessity. There are, however, some 
Europeans who take to this life like fish to water and 
no inducement would make them return to Europe. 

The Japanese quarter, lying next to the European, 
is full of life, noise, crowding, laughter and gay talk, 
but never the shrill cries that one hears in China. 



140 The Land of the Rising Sun 

The inherent politeness of the Japanese guards him 
from anything coarse or inelegant. It is curious to 
note that the European head-dress was the first thing 
adopted by the Japanese. Formerly they went bare- 
headed, with the head partly shaved, leaving only a 
small top-knot of hair. But fashion subjugates all, 
and already the women, so conservative in Japan, 
are beginning to adopt the European dress. Speak- 
ing of women, it is apropos to tell you of our visit 
with the commander and some of the officers of the 
Vitiaz to the well-known O Kin San (lady of gold). 
All foreigners know the tea house with the loi steps. 
The lady of gold is no longer a young geisha, but 
she is very clever and can speak in many languages 
and amuses the foreigners with her gaiety and ani- 
mation. The interior of a Japanese house has already 
been described, and the mistress of the house, with 
all her servants, welcomes the guests squatted on 
their heels and bowing their heads to the earth. You 
enter and squat like them on the floor, but this is 
easier said than done. The Japanese can sit on his 
heels for hours, but the European after a moment 
begins to squirm, lie down, or sit Turkish fashion, 
all without success, to the infinite amusement of the 
Japanese, who slyly mock the red-haired barbarian. 
Immediately upon our arrival the mistress offered 
us green tea in a minute cup, and the inevitable bis- 
cuit-cake (castera) introduced in Japan by the Por- 
tuguese. Beer, champagne, and Japanese dancers 
were called for. The music and dancing girls who 
appeared at O Kin San's were certainly not of the 
best, as the first-class geishas are in such demand that 
one must engage them long beforehand. The danc- 



The Land of the Rising Sun 141 

ing soon bored the company and Japanese games 
began. One in which the player must guess "how 
many fingers will you show?" is very much like the 
Italian game "mora." There is another game in 
which fingers represent a fox, a man, and a gun. 
Then there is "tomase, or follow the leader," and the 
loser must pay a forfeit or drink a cup of "sake" 
(Japanese brandy). This ends in the gradual di- 
vesting of all one's clothes and is called by the Eu- 
ropeans "Jonkiena." The origin of it is difficult to 
trace. Some say that it originated with a Dutchman, 
"John Keen," and others that it simply comes from 
the Choi-keena ("come, come") ; but this game in 
its original form is now forbidden by the police and 
can only be seen in the very lowest houses. One 
must say, though, that the Japanese behold the 
naked form with perfect indifference ; as I have said, 
the naked woman bathing is no uncommon sight, 
they nurse their children in the theatres, and in fact, 
they think nothing of nakedness. 

One fine day we chose to visit Kamakura. A car- 
riage takes one as far as Fujisawa, where we stopped 
at a tea-house and had some tea with pastry. No 
sooner had we taken our places on the matting than 
a crowd of Japanese surrounded us. The curiosity 
of the Japanese is astonishing. When you meet one 
walking and he asks you a cjuestion, woe be to you 
if you answer him, for he will shower you with ques- 
tions. From Fujisawa the road lies through a pic- 
turesque gorge, which winds like a ribbon among 
high, inaccessible rocks, and at the top a sort of tun- 
nel has been blasted through solid granite, coming 
out of which one begins to see the bright, blooming 



142 The Land of the Rising Sun 

valley, warmed by the rays of the sun. There lies 
Kamakuru, the famous capital of Yoritomo. A 
feeling of sadness overpowers one at sight of a 
place illumined by the historical deeds of great men, 
when through one's mind passes the brilliant picture 
of vanished luxury, wonderful buildings, and the 
festivals of the once noisy and populous capital. One 
cannot overcome this sad impression in Memphis, 
for instance — once glorious and populous, now 
mounds of broken pottery, as if history could only 
express itself in one way, a heap of rubbish. But 
sadder still is the impression when one sees all man's 
efforts swallowed up in the mighty embrace of 
nature, and there, where man has lived and thought, 
nature has swept away all traces, covering every spot 
with luxurious vegetation — a mockery of the efforts 
of men. Nothing remains of the former capital of 
Yoritomo except the colossal statue of Buddha and 
the mournful sound of the bells in the neighboring 
temple, where armor and accoutrements of Yori- 
tomo are exhibited. 

Here are the dimensions of this statue of Buddha : 
the height, 49 feet 7 inches; circumference, 97 feet 
2 inches; length of face, 8 feet 5 inches; from ear to 
ear, 17 feet 9 inches ; eyes, 3 feet 1 1 inches long ; ears, 
6 feet 6 inches ; nose, 3 feet 9 inches ; mouth, 3 feet ; 
thumb, 3 feet ; the eyes are made of solid gold and the 
silver wart in the middle of the forehead weighs 30 
pounds. But with these colossal dimensions it is a 
chef-d'oeuvre, as an expression of the genius of Bud- 
dhism. The calm and passionless face of Buddha, 
looking with indifference upon the trivial agitations 
of mankind, speaks eloquently of the victory of 



The Land of the Rising Sun 143 

reason over sentiment, of eternity and all absorbing- 
Nirvana. 

On our return we visited the sugarloaf promon- 
tory of Enosliima, where reigns the benevolent god- 
dess Benten. During the day she lives in the cave, 
and at night she moves the sea with the tones of her 
lyre; she pacifies the storms, and where she is, har- 
mony reigns. At high tide Enosliima is an island. 
After a tiresome walk through the sand we climbed 
to the summit of the rock, on the side of which hangs 
a village consisting entirely of booths and shops, 
where all sorts of shell-work is sold. There arc 
many temples, and pilgrims are everywhere. The 
cave is almost inaccessible at high tide, and one must 
jump from one stone to another; finally we were 
carried on the backs of the kurumayas across the 
water. The cave is enormous, and in one of the cor- 
ridors is the sanctuary of the Goddess Benten. 

Our return was after dark, but thanks to a Japa- 
nese fete the streets were lighted by many colored 
lanterns and great animation reigned in the town. 

To become familiar with a tovv^n which contains 
1,500,000 inhabitants and spreads over a great space 
is not an easy thing, but when one knows the plan 
in its great lines it is easy to find the way out in such a 
labyrinth as Tokyo, which resembles in no way a Eu- 
ropean city, and consists of three towns, each with 
different characteristics ; one half-European town, 
another not touched by European civilization, and 
the third the Imperial City. We will begin with the 
Imperial City, which is the center of this agglom- 
eration. 



144 The Land of the Rising Sun 

One must state first of all that wherever there was a 
residence of a Shogun or a daimio, there was a castle 
or Siro, around which, as around a center, the town 
grouped itself. The "Siro," like the Russian Krem- 
lin, formed the heart of the town, from which it was 
separated by high walls and deep moats. The walls 
of the Tokyo Siro, are so broad that a carriage can 
be driven along the top; they are now covered with 
lawns and big trees. The broad, deep moats sur- 
rounding the Siro in two parallel circles do not pro- 
tect any one at present ; they are covered with lotus 
and are a breeding-ground for a numerous host of 
ducks and geese. Already the opinion is voiced 
that these thick walls with embrasures are useless, 
and that the big moats, resembling large lakes, 
should be filled and leveled, making Tokyo an up- 
to-date and well-regulated capital. From a practi- 
cal and hygienic standpoint such a reform would be 
perhaps advantageous, but Tokyo would lose its 
picturesqueness, originality, and beauty. 

In the Tokyo Siro were the palace of the Shogun, 
burned in 1872; the palace of the heir apparent, the 
Privy Council, and many other buildings, with a lux- 
urious garden, laid out by Taiko Sama, and there 
now stands the palace of the Mikado. Formerly the 
palaces of the feudal chiefs which were outside the 
Siro, and in which the daimios lived, were occupied 
in the winter by the daimios and their families, who 
in case of absence of the owner were left as hostages 
of the Shogun. Now they have been for the most 
part turned into public offices or barracks. 

Of course these feudal palaces are not what we 
would consider palaces. Toward the streets there is 



The Land of the Rising Sun 145 

a palisade or line of ugly wooden buildings, with 
broad low windows, protected by straight black bars. 
Looking at these monotonous and tedious parallel- 
ograms one must not forget that the Japanese always 
hide their best rooms on the back court, and more 
so in the dwellings of the daimios, which were al- 
ways situated in the center of the compound, the 
outer buildings being occupied by their retainers, 
bodyguard and horses, serving as defense in case of 
sudden attack. Therefore this sort of palisade had 
the character of a fortress, as much as was possible, 
in face of the suspicious Shoguns. 

A direct contrast with the feudal palaces are the 
new palaces and government buildings constructed 
in the European style. Their architecture is not 
very successful, reminding one sometimes of a 
square box or a watch tower. The best of the mod- 
ern buildings are the different legations. One of the 
most imposing buildings is the great Greek Ortho- 
dox Cathedral, which commands a view of the city. 

Near it is a school for boys and girls, directed by 
Bishop Nicholas and his assistants. The setting of 
the school is purely Japanese and the instruction is in 
the Japanese language, as are the services in the ca- 
thedral. The Bishop has organized a very good 
choir and is of the opinion that the Japanese have 
very great musical aptitude. It is curious for a Rus- 
sian to hear his own service in the Japanese language 
and to see a crowd of worshippers listening devoutly 
to a Japanese sermon, and he must conclude that this 
work, begun by Bishop Nicholas, is on a solid foun- 
dation and will live even without aid from Russia. 



Chapter XIV 

Street life in Tokyo — Nakadori — Asakusa — Tokyo high life — 
Imperial family. 

Before one knows the real internal life of a coun- 
try one seeks superficial impressions, to gain by them 
a certain insight into the character of the people. 
The first thing to do upon arrival in Tokyo is to go 
to the Ginza, a broad street with sidewalks lined 
with trees, where are to be found the principal shops, 
many houses built in the European style, and, what 
is most important, many shops lighted with electric 
lamps. We are in the land of contrasts. While 
the shops in the Ginza are lighted by Edison lamps, 
the rest of the town, as is the case in all Japan, is 
plunged in darkness, and every pedestrian must be 
provided with his own lantern. People are riding 
in jinrikshas, and loads are carried only on the 
backs of men; and side by side with these you find 
cars and equipages. The foreign ministers and 
high Japanese officials already consider it not comme 
il faut to ride in jinrikshas, and keep their own car- 
riages. This innovation is possible, thanks to the 
broad and straight streets in Tokyo. Even the 
character of the Japanese has somewhat changed 
under European influence, and the Japanese who 
formerly considered the Chinese precept, "It is bet- 
ter to sit than stand," now ride horseback or ride a 



The Land of the Rising Sun 147 

bicycle. But let us look at the animated scene on 
the Ginza. Dark blue, gray, white, and black ki- 
monos flit before the eyes, and tiny beings with 
painted faces and immovable coiffures, glistening hi 
the sunlight, are laughing gaily with a contagious 
laughter which makes one light-hearted to hear. 
Then the scraping of the wooden clogs over the 
stones or the flopping of straw sandals, the shrieks 
of the vendors, the tam-tam drums, calling attention 
to the opening of a theatre; the enticing invitation 
of the kurumayas, the rumbling of the cars and 
omnibuses, all make a great noise; but in spite of all 
this noise the order in the street is exemplary, and 
the crowd shows its good bringing up. One hears 
all the time, "gomen nasai" (excuse me), or "have 
the kindness to let me pass;" and if acquaintances 
meet the polite bowing has no end. 

If you wish to buy Japanese curios or visit a bric- 
a-brac shop — and every newcomer to Japan has this 
passion — the best place is the Nakadori. There one 
finds the pearls of Japanese art; but one must have 
much time, patience, and endurance, for buying in 
Japan is a long-drawn-out affair. 

As I have already said, unlike our system, where 
the best wares are displayed, the Japanese is just the 
opposite — he will never show you the best things 
first, and only when he has ascertained that you are 
serious, and not merely a sightseer, will he bring 
forth his treasures. 

The park of Ueno is one of the largest parks of 
the capital, and there one finds always a crowd of 
promenaders. The park is hilly, and on one of 
these elevations is a bronze statue of Buddha and 



148 The Land of the Rising Sun 

a five-storied red pagoda, with bells dangling from 
its roofs. 

On one corner of the park is an exposition of 
pictures, but not of pictures in the European sense, 
but rather water-color or sepia sketches, made on 
silk or paper. The Japanese artist never gives more 
than an outline of a scene or a landscape, and prin- 
cipally excels in the drawing of birds and animals, 
which seem almost to be alive. 

The principal attraction of the exposition is an 
embroidered screen, worth $7,000, and on which the 
artist spent several years of his life. Then there 
are European clothes in bad taste, hats and other 
things, which one sees in other exhibitions. 

If you want to see a tremendous crowd, go to Asa- 
kusa, where there is a permanent exhibition of chil- 
dren's toys, and something like a fair, round the 
temple of Kin riu san. In the center of this park, 
called Asakusa, surrounded by groves of centenary 
cedars, is a wooden shrine, with its two-storied tiled 
roof and all its woodwork covered with red lacquer, 
as are the massive columns in the interior. In the 
depth of the temple is a golden statue of Kwannon 
Sama, illuminated by numberless candles. The 
place where the statue stands is divided from the 
other part of the temple by a fine grating. There 
are always a crowd of worshippers, who begin by 
giving a small coin for the privilege of washing 
their hands and rinsing their mouths in a stone 
fount, as you must begin praying with clean breath. 
Then each seeks his special god, which depends on 
what he wants — whether it is a lucky fishing expe- 
dition, or to be cured of an illness, or to make a 



The Land of the Rising Sun 149 

good journey; and to attract attention o£ the divin- 
ity he pulls a rope on which hangs a bell, then, 
throwing a coin on the matting or on the box, he 
folds his arms and prays, clapping his hands mean- 
while several times. 

Asakusa is not only for those who pray, but for 
those who seek gaiety and an outing. The broad 
street which conducts to the temple is paved with 
stone slabs and bordered on both sides with shops, 
before which there is always a throng' of people, who 
never disperse before midnight. Every evening- it 
is brilliantly illuminated with red lanterns and lights. 
Above all, the children are in evidence, crowding 
with happy faces about the toy shops where is dis- 
played a great variety of objects. There are dolls 
of every possible description, made of silk, hanging 
on strings, and animals, frogs, birds waving their 
wings, fish, toads, elephants, boats, fans, umbrellas, 
small play-sandals and clogs, flowers, butterflies, 
lanterns, and kites. There are also shops with 
sweets, some of which are very good — candied fruits, 
marmalades, all sorts of jellies and pastries; and, 
besides all this, books, china, pictures, and eatables. 
Especially original are the shops with flowers and 
dwarf trees, which are only a few inches high, and 
look like thousand-year-old trees. To train these 
remarkable things the gardener breaks off the root 
every week and trims the branches and trunk, and 
these trees are used for the decoration of small 
gardens of a yard or two in diameter, where one 
will find also miniature rivers, mountains, waterfalls, 
rocks, and forests. At Asakusa there are shows of 
all kinds, shooting-galleries for gun and bow, bird- 



150 The Land of the Rising Sun 

shows and picturesque tea-houses, where the girls en- 
ticingly call to you "to come in and rest," The 
children are flying kites or liberating birds, which 
are sold for the purpose by small boys ; or feeding the 
pigeons, which swarm about the temple, — all having 
a glorious time generally. The greatest attraction 
is the wooden model of Fuji Yama, covered with 
chalk, no feet high and looo feet in circumference, 
and the climbers number to 10,000 daily. 

The beautiful park of Shiba, with the tombs of 
the Shoguns, make a solemn impression by their 
peace and quiet, like an accord of the funeral march 
of Beethoven. These shrines, blazing with gold, 
decorated with carvings and arabesques, with col- 
umns covered with red lacquer, which extravagant 
and rich ornamentations are among the best speci- 
mens of Japanese art, of the time when Shintoism or 
Taikuns, as Buddhist, lavishly decorated their tem- 
ples. Thanks to them, Japanese architecture devel- 
oped an original character, and sculpture had its 
masters, like Hidari Jingoro, who left wonderful 
carvings which aroused the admiration of for- 
eigners. 

Now for variety let us look at society, and seek 
there distraction. There is a society in Tokyo, and 
balls, receptions and routs are given, to which are 
invited the princes of the Imperial House, the Jap- 
anese nobility, high officials, and foreign ministers. 
The Mikado, coming out of his seclusion, receives 
the foreign ministers, assists at parades, manoeuvres, 
opening of expositions, races, launching of ships, the 
same as do all rulers in Europe. Accompanied by a 
mounted guard, he drives in a Paris landau, and in 



The Land of the Rising Sun 151 

the shops one can buy his portrait in a European uni- 
form. To tell the truth, he is rarely seen in public, 
seldom leaving the vast palace grounds, where there 
is a park, a manege, a shooting-gallery, a theatrical 
hall, etc. The Mikado has a palace in Tokyo, an- 
other in Hakone, on an island in the lake, and a 
hunting-lodge, with a deer park, in Nikko; but he 
stays most of the time in Tokyo, even during the 
great heat of summer. 

The Empress is much more in evidence, as she 
has taken under her protection the benevolent socie- 
ties, and through her initiative have been foimded 
hospitals, schools, and the Red Cross Society, in all 
of which she takes an active part. Unfortunately, 
she and her court ladies have discarded the sump- 
tuous ancient court costume, and dress in European 
style ; but it is said that she uses only Japanese ma- 
terials and employs Japanese dressmakers ; she rides 
horseback, but only in the precincts of her own park, 
and when she drives out the curtains of the carriage 
are pulled down. Pierre Loti has most poetically 
described the Empress of Japan, and according to 
Japanese ideals she is beautiful, with her oval face, 
delicate features, dark, velvet eyes, and hair as black 
as a raven's wing. Like all married women in 
Japan, she blackened her teeth and shaved her eye- 
brows, but this custom she dropped long ago. The 
Empress belongs to an old house, related to the 
Imperial family. 

The heir apparent, the Imperial Prince Plaru no 
Miya, the son of the Emperor by one of his court 
ladies (the Empress has no children), is married, 
and has children and a court of his own. Apropos, 



152 The Land of the Rising Sun 

the present Emperor is also the son of a court lady, 
and not of the dowager Empress. 

When the Emperor removed the capital to Tokyo 
he first occupied the former palace of the Shogun. 
When it was burned he moved to the Yashiki, or 
palace belonging to the Tokugawa branch, which 
had possession in Kiushiu, and began the construc- 
tion of the new palace on the site of the old one of 
the Shogun. In 1889 the Emperor moved to the 
new palace, which is constructed in a mixed style, 
and cost 3,000,000 yen. It is a veritable labyrinth, 
having European rooms, but the Japanese style pre- 
dominates. It has steam heat and electric lights, 
with the sliding walls found in most Japanese build- 
ings. There is a throne-room 60 feet long, a draw- 
ing-room with walls and ceilings of gold material, 
embroidered with fruits and flowers; a great ball- 
room, and a banquet-hall, the service of which is 
imported from Germany. 

The official receptions are few — ^on the 3d of No- 
vember, on the occasion of the Emperor's birthday ; 
New-year's day, and the day of the proclamation of 
the Constitution. In the spring-time, when the 
cherry trees blossom, and in the autumn, in chrysan- 
themum season, a garden-party is given in one of 
the suburban palaces, to which are invited the diplo- 
matic corps, consular corps, and foreigners of dis- 
tinction in Tokyo and Yokohama, which is an hour's 
ride by rail from the capital. They have no court 
balls, as they have in Europe, as it is said that the 
Mikado does not approve of European dancing; but 
balls are given by the princes of the Imperial House, 
the Princes Arisugawa, Kitashirakawa, and the min- 



The Land of the Rising Sun 153 

isters, and to these balls are Invited all the high soci- 
ety of Tokyo and Yokohama. 

Shortly after my arrival a ball was given by the 
Prince Arisugawa, Senior. His palace is finished in 
European style, and is very luxurious. But what a 
mixture of types and conditions of men! Official 
Japan in gold-embroidered uniforms, glistening with 
orders and decorations; ladies in European dresses, 
side by side with the butcher of Yokohama and his 
ponderous wife, who certainly in Germany stood be- 
hind the counter, and now as the representative of 
the European fair sex mixes with princes and min- 
isters. Meeting each other, the Japanese, in spite of 
their uniform, draw in their breath with a hissing 
sound, and bow double. The Prince and the Prin- 
cess stand in the drawing-room, receiving their 
guests, giving their hands to each one. The dancing 
begins with a quadrille d'honneur, in which the 
Prince dances with the wife of a foreign minister 
and the Princess with one of the Japanese gros bon- 
nets. The Prince and the Princess seem to dance 
with pleasure, and generally the Japanese dance se- 
riously and conscientiously the Caledonians and the 
lancers. Among the Japanese women one finds 
sometimes pretty faces, and some of them know how 
to carry ofif European dress with Parisian chic. Al- 
though the European costume is not always becom- 
ing to them, some of the women of the higher classes 
welcome it as the sign of the end of slaver3^ A Jap- 
anese wife in her national costume, walking with 
her husband, cannot walk beside him, but must walk 
behind, while the same woman in European costume 
is given the first place in the drawing-room, and no 



154 The Land of the Rising Sun 

wonder they hke it. But drive away what is nat- 
ural, it comes galloping back; and so it is with the 
Japanese, who cast off with difficulty their old cus- 
toms. For instance, at official balls you often see 
them sitting on the sofas with their feet drawn up. 
It is also amusing to see what pillage goes on at the 
buffet, as if it were a lot of savages, and not well- 
bred society. The evening winds up with a scandal, 
when some Japanese, who has imbibed too much, 
becomes boisterous and has to be taken away. 

The guests begin to leave at one o'clock, and an 
extra train is waiting for those from Yokohama, all 
having been provided with tickets when invited Les 
choses se font grandement ; and all the guests depart 
with pleasant remembrances of the kindness and of 
the hospitality of the distinguished hosts. 



Chapter XV 

The reception-day of the Marchioness Ito — The chrysanthe- 
mum (kiku) festival at the suburban palace — New-year's 
celebrations in Tolcyo — Cha-no-yu — Fires. 

The reception-day of a Japanese lady is interest- 
ing. The Enghsh fashion prevails of offering tea 
and cakes to the guest, but the mother and daughter 
understand well the meaning of the precept that si- 
lence is golden. They only listen, with now and 
then a monosyllable "yes" or "no," which finishes 
the subject, no matter with what energy the visitor 
tries to make a conversation. Yet this silent Mar- 
chioness could tell many interesting things of her 
former life. She could tell how, during the bloody 
civil war, she saved the life of her lover, who after- 
wards became her husband and first minister of 
Japan. The murderers had tracked Ito to her 
house, and the noise of the arms and wooden clogs 
was already near, when Ito, realizing that he could 
not escape death, drew his sword to end his own 
life. The present Marchioness whispered to him, 
"Do not die," and with the quickness of lightning 
pushed away the hibachi (brazier), lifted the 
matting, and pushed him into the hollow between 
the floor and the ground. She had scarcely time to 
replace the hibachi and assume an indifferent air, 
when the assassins broke into the room, demanding 
their victim. "Look for him; he is not here," she 



156 The Land of the Rising Sun 

said calmly; and although they dragged her about 
the room by her hair and tormented her in every 
way, she revealed nothing, and the life of Ito was 
saved. 

If one asks these monosyllabic ladies if they like 
their receptions, they will surely answer "no," but 
that they must make the sacrifice to Europeanism, 
of which they have but a confused idea. They much 
prefer to sit on the divans with their feet up, rather 
than on the chairs ; talk and gossip, read endless Jap- 
anese novels, listen to fairy tales, go to the theatre, 
or admire some wrestler. Furukawa says that act- 
ors and wrestlers frequently play the role of Al- 
phonse to the gay society ladies. While at these re- 
ceptions she must speak through the interpreter 
about the weather. The European visitor coming 
into such a drawing-room makes an effort to say a 
few words, and, being conscious of the silence of 
the other guests (and sometimes there are many), 
presses the hand of the hostess and departs ; the visit 
is made, and the next thing is an invitation that the 
Marchioness, the Countess or Viscountess, as the 
case may be, will be "at home" on such and such, a 
day, and sometimes in one corner is marked "danc- 
ing," and perhaps one is invited to a ball. 

But, never fear, I will not describe the ball at the 
house of the Marquis Ito, except to say that all 
Tokyo haute societe was there with the Yokohama 
tiers etat, and during the ball there were fireworks 
and a transparency with the words in English, "The 
birthday of H. M. the Emperor of Japan." 

Let us go to the Asakusa palace to the chrysan- 
themum fete, by invitation of the Japanese Emperor. 



The Land of the Rising Sun 157 

As it is a g-arden-party, men wear frock-coats and 
high hats. The palace is built in Japanese style, 
with sliding walls and matting on the floor, and is 
situated in the midst of a beautiful park. 

All these hillocks, bosquets, bridges leading over 
brooks, kioscjues, and allees are alive with people. 
An elegant company, the diplomatic corps take their 
places according to rank, awaiting the arrival of the 
Emperor. 

Now are heard the strains of the Japanese march, 
and the Emperor appears with his suite ; then comes 
the Empress with the court ladies. The Emperor 
approaclies each foreign minister, shakes his hand, 
and speaks to him a few words in Japanese ; the min- 
ister, with low bow, makes an answer, which is 
translated. This is all done in such a low tone — al- 
most a whisper — that the nearest bystander can hear 
nothing. The Empress goes through the same form 
with the wives of the ministers ; and if there are for- 
eigners of distinction they are now presented to the 
Imperial couple, who do not, however, shake hands 
with them. 

The Emperor then makes a round to inspect in the 
hot-houses the great variety of beautiful chrysan- 
themums. On one stalk there are sometimes as 
many as three hundred flowers. The music plays, 
but the white, scarlet, yellow and lilac asters do not 
hold the public long. "Trop de Heiirs" grumbles 
some one, and they move on to the abundantly sup- 
plied buffet, laden with delicacies, and where cham- 
pagne flows like water. This fete takes place at 
four o'clock, when everybody has already break- 
fasted ; but many think, "Why let slip such an occa- 



158 The Land of the Rising Sun 

sion to eat at the expense of the Mikado?" In the 
same month — November — the kiku (chrysanthe- 
mums) are feted by the people. There is an expo- 
sition of them in Dangosaka. Figures and whole 
pictures are made of flowers, many of them being 
historical. Let us have a look into the first garden. 
There, two warriors are represented in the forest in 
the winter. Farther, a historical personage confined 
in prison, while outside sits his mistress. Then a 
scene in the house of some daimio. In the next gar- 
den is erected a ship of flowers, with the six gods of 
riches — Bishamon, Hotel, Yebisu, Daikoku, Fukro- 
kuso, Jirodzin — and the goddess Benten. In an- 
other garden, Shisuka, the mistress of Yoshitsune, is 
represented as dancing before Yoritomo in the hope 
of obtaining permission to see her lover. Crossing 
the street one finds the following scene : The sister of 
Batalia, Kinosose, was married to Kanki. Having 
to go to fight in China, the brother charged his sister 
to influence her husband to give him aid and let him 
know the result by throwing into the river white or 
red liquid. Kinsose was not successful, and, killing 
herself, her red blood dyed the sparkling waters of 
the river. There are many other historical and 
genre pictures made with flowers, and the mane- 
quins of asters are so well done that at a certain dis- 
tance they appear to be alive. 

New-year, however, is the fete of fetes for the 
Japanese, and the congratulations go on for the first 
fifteen days. The first seven days are called "matsu 
muchi," or week of pine decorations. In olden 
times New-year celebrations were distinguished by 
great sumptuousness, and one should have seen how 



The Land of the Rising Sun 159 

the daimios, surrounded by their samurai, went to 
congratulate the Shogun. Now, under the influence 
of European civihzation, little by little the national 
customs are disappearing. Every province cele- 
brated New-year after its own fashion, and a whole 
book could be written about the customs, but we will 
mention the principal features. Already in Decem- 
ber begins the cleaning of the houses. Formerly it 
began with a ceremony at court on the 13th of De- 
cember, on which day bamboo branches with fresh 
leaves were used as a symbol of prosperity and hap- 
piness. For the New-year all the mattings had to be 
changed, so that the guests could sit on clean mat- 
tings. The women renewed their toilets, and in 
the shops there was an exposition of wares. On the 
last day of the year the streets were brilliantly il- 
luminated with lanterns (now with electric lights). 
There is a custom among merchants to eat long ver- 
micelli, that their riches should last long. The 
house is decorated with straw-paper, representing 
the Chinese ideographs, or lucky numbers — 3, 5, 
and 7. The gates are decorated with branches of 
pine, as bamboo and pine are symbols of longevity. 
In every house rice cakes are prepared in the shape 
of discs, representing the mirror with which they 
brought back the Sun Goddess. The cakes are 
placed on an unpainted tray on legs, and are deco- 
rated with leaves, sea colewort, branches of pine, 
orange, and lobster, each of them having a symbolic 
meaning. On New-year day all the family as- 
semble in the largest room, and sit around on the 
matting, and before each person is a low table. To 
begin with, toso, or cake with spices, is passed to 



160 The Land of the Rising Sun 

attain immortality, afterwards zoni is offered with 
rice cakes (mochi). On New-year day the house is 
not swept, and this is the only day that shops are 
closed. The youth of both sexes play games on the 
street, and the loser pays a forfeit. The evening 
is spent in playing cards and arranging lotteries. On 
the third day work begins again, and all the young 
men strive to paint with the brush handsome charac- 
ters, and the young girls play on the koto and the 
samisen (musical instruments). On the 2d of Jan- 
uary one must be sure to have a good dream, and so 
a picture of a ship with treasures is placed under the 
makura (Japanese pillow). The 15th and i6th of 
January are also great festivals in Japan, as that is 
the time when tortures begin in hell, and the shrine 
of Enma (god of hell) has good receipts from sin- 
ners. On this day apprentices are freed from their 
masters, and one must say that the apprentices, 
bound for several years, are wholly slaves of their 
master, and only on the 15th of January and the 
1 6th of June they are free. On this day the streets 
are full of life. Prestidigitators, tellers of fairy 
tales, women musicians, and fakirs go about to 
cleanse the houses from wicked spirits. All these 
customs are disappearing with time, and now the 
Japanese rush about like mad in a jinriksha,. leaving 
their cards on New-year day, and this literally, as 
outside the door is a tray where the visitor places 
his card, without molesting his friends or their ser- 
vants. Others follow the European custom, and 
give a certain sum for charity, and have their names 
in the paper, or send their cards by mail. There 
are many curious customs in Japan, but the most 



The Land of the Rising Sun 161 

original is the cha-no-yu, or the ceremony of drink- 
ing tea. Japanese consider this ceremony as almost 
a rite, and give it a particular symbolic and ethical 
character. The eitquette is a complicated one. In 
substance it is only the way the water is boiled and 
the quality of the tea. Some say that there is a deep 
meaning in the cha-no-yu only known to the ini- 
tiated. The thing is not that you drink the tea, but 
how you drink it, as there are three hundred move- 
ments of the hand in preparing the tea. The Euro- 
peans consider this a childish play, or a remnant of 
past ages, when tea drinking was a rare and unusual 
luxury, and peaceful tea drinking was in striking 
contrast with the bloody horrors of the civil wars. 
The initiators found it necessary to give to this cere- 
mony a special solemnity. You will smile when 
you hear that the followers of this cha-no-yu (tea of 
hot water) are divided into eight separate schools 
and sects, having each, like the masonic orders, mys- 
terious secrets. The architecture of the houses 
where these cha-no-yu, or tea meetings, take place is 
distinguished by simplicity and elegance. The im- 
pression must be given of separation from the world, 
and of solitude. We will not describe the shape of 
the room, the form of the dishes, utensils, hibachi, 
and the cups. The invitations are sent a week be- 
fore, with the list of persons invited, and at the head 
of the list is written the name of the guest of honor. 
It is customary for the guests to call on the host a 
day before the tea ceremony, and to thank him for 
the honor. At the appointed hour (early hours are 
preferred) the guests enter the drawing-room, and 
then the garden, which is arranged in a special man- 



162 The Land of the Rising Sun 

ner, and there they have to wash their mouths and 
hands in a cistern, after which they crawl into the 
tea-room through a narrow entrance. As they enter 
the tea-room they must observe with admiration tlie 
walls, pictures, the flower arrangements, vase, the 
furnace, and all the utensils that reveal the superb 
taste and artistic mind of the host and hostess. 
Sometimes a dinner is served. The host and hostess 
must do everything without the help of servants or 
waiters, although the master or mistress may be 
vei*y rich and of a very noble family. After dinner 
is over the host brings some sweets for each one of 
the guests to take home, and, telling them to take a 
short recess, he leaves them. The guests retire into 
the waiting-room. The host, in the mean time, find- 
ing the tea-room vacant, sweeps the floor and 
changes the decoration of the room. The guests 
are then invited to take their places on the floor. 
The host brings the utensils for making tea, which 
are fire-sticks, feathers, brush, etc. Saluting the 
people, he takes his seat near the fire-place, and, ar- 
ranging all the necessary tea sets before him, he 
commences to serve the tea, upon which the guests 
must praise his exquisite manner and the beautiful 
tea instruments. Taking one cup the host puts into 
it a few spoonfuls of fragrant tea powder, and 
pours upon it hot water, stirring it with a bamboo 
stirrer ; then he hands it with great ceremony to the 
guest of honor, who must take a step forward and 
bend his knee to receive the cup. The guest returns 
to his seat, drinks three sips, and passes his cup to 
his neighbors, who do the same until the cup has 
made the round. We must remark that complete 



The Land of the Rising Sun 163 

silence is observed, with the exception of answering 
the host, who inquires about the quahty of tea, or 
makes other observations pertaining to the ceremony. 

After the ceremony the guests express their desire 
to see the utensils, and examine the tea-cups, spoons, 
jar, trays, etc. 

The Usu cha is then served, and a cup of tea is 
given to each guest. Here all form and ceremony 
are laid aside. It is really a social gathering, and 
gossiping chatter is allowed. 

The transition may seem too sudden if we pass 
from the cha-no-yu to a fire, but this calamity, to- 
gether with earthquakes, tidal waves, and typhoons 
are very frequent in Japan. You know of what 
light material are constructed the Japanese houses, 
and you can easily imagine the horror of a fire where 
the houses are crowded together as in a Japanese 
town. At one time, in 1872, forty-two streets were 
burned in Tokyo, and in 1876 were burned 13,464 
houses. I witnessed a Japanese fire, and never again 
wish to see anything so terrible. Thousands of peo- 
ple perish if a fire happens to be in the night. At 
present every quarter in Tokyo has its fire brigade 
and watch tower ; nevertheless the confusion during 
the fire is beyond description, and looting is carried 
on to a great extent. "To be burned out," say the 
Japanese, "is not so terrible as to be robbed to the 
last stitch." The military force is sometimes not 
strong enough to put down this disorder. The 
buildings are pulled to pieces as if by magic, and 
amidst the blazing- ruins the people act like mad. 
There runs a Japanese carrying a screen, which he 
is naturally supposed to have stolen, and the police- 



164 The Land of the Rising Sun 

man gives him such a blow that he flies one way 
and his clogs the other. On the roofs the priests 
exhort and strive to pacify the gods, when suddenly 
a cascade of water bursts over them, drenching them 
from head to foot. The public laughs in spite of the 
horrors of the situation. The Japanese through 
whose fault the fire began is so conscience-stricken 
that he makes no effort to save his things, and will 
be the last to reconstruct his house, waiting until all 
his neighbors have built theirs. The Japanese eti- 
quette demands that all the friends rush and visit the 
man whose house is burning, and if his house has 
escaped this calamity a visit of congratulation from 
all his friends is equally necessary. 



IN NORTHERN JAPAN 
Chapter XVI 

Yusen Kaisha Company — Oginohama — Hakodate Hospital — 
Russian mission — Colonial Ministry — Fisheries — Fencing — 
Wrestlers — Nanai farm. 

I made the trip to Hakodate on one of the boats of 
the Yusen Kaisha, which receives a subsidy from the 
government and has boats plying between Shanghai 
and Yokohama, Nagasaki and Vladivostok, Korea, 
China, and to Manila, 

On the ship there were several Europeans and a 
crowd of Japanese, who conducted themselves alto- 
gether too freely, drinking whisky and at table 
smacking their lips and belching loudly. I must say 
though that the Japanese of the old school is polite 
and refined, and if he is by nature pretentious and 
proud he hides it well, only displaying his refined 
good manners. This is not, however, the case with 
those who have learned to drink whisky and con- 
sider that they have already absorbed European civil- 
ization — they take on coarse and vulgar manners. 
When one comes to visit you he puts his feet on the 
table and considers himself in the height of style. I 
am speaking of course of the Japanese of the new 
school and not of those who have a certain training 
and a certain position. 



166 The Land o£ the Rising Sun 

We stopped for a while at Oginohama. The 
weather was beautiful and the green bay lay still as 
a mirror, the sea gulls darted hither and thither with 
weird cries, and a whole chorus of frogs were croak- 
ing somewhere in the vicinity, presaging good 
weather. But this did not prove a true prophet, for 
no sooner had we left the hospitable bay than the old 
boat, formerly belonging to the P. & O. Company, 
began to creak in all its joints, and chairs and tables, 
as if moved by spirits, began playing leap-frog, and 
the noise of the storm kept the passengers awake. 
However, with morning we entered a beautiful bay 
filled with white sails, and on a cone-shaped moun- 
tain, covered with vegetation, the town of Hakodate 
lay spread like an amphitheatre. Upon nearer in- 
spection it looked like a great village with broad 
streets, covered with grass, and poor, forlorn 
wooden houses, with their roofs held down by huge 
stones, used as a protection against storms. On the 
streets is no life and even the kurumayas look sleepy. 
There are no European shops, and only a limited 
supply of European wares can be found in the Japa- 
nese shops. Of buildings in the European style there 
are a hospital with 120 beds, the English consulate 
with a large garden, the Catholic Mission with a Ca- 
thedral and buildings for the missionaries and Sis- 
ters of Charity, the American Mission with houses 
for the missionaries, the Russian Mission, etc. The 
public offices are in a Japanese yashiki and there also 
are lodged the government employees. In spite of 
its forlorn and neglected air, Hakodate, according to 
statistics, is growing, not daily, but hourly. Not 
long ago it was a poor village, and at present it is 



The Land of the Rising Sun 167 

the first town on the Island of Yezo. It has every 
reason to prosper, for if it has no interest for Euro- 
pean merchants, for the Japanese it is of great im- 
portance, as the best port of Yezo and the island of 
Yezo under auspicious circumstances could have 
long- ago been one of the most flourishing provinces 
of Japan. The soil is adapted to the growing of in- 
digo, wheat, Indian corn, and all the grains. There 
is an abundance of sulphur, coal, and other minerals, 
and there are magnificent ports like Hakodate and 
Mororan; great quantities of fish in the sea and 
rivers, and untouched virgin forests. These are a 
few of the pledges of the future prosperity of the 
island. 

In 1 87 1 the Japanese Government, turning its at- 
tention to this far-off island, instituted a Colonial 
Ministry and confided to it the government of Yezo, 
attaching to the Kaitakushi (colonial government) 
in the role of adviser the American General Capron 
and other specialists, who may have been very intel- 
ligent, but were entirely unacquainted with the 
country. The Colonial Ministry and its advisers 
thought that they had only to wish and this desert 
and uninhabited island, covered with inpenetrable 
forests, would change into an El Dorado such as to 
arouse the envy of even America. 

After spending 18,000,000 on all sorts of experi- 
ments, which turned out complete failures, the Gov- 
ernment dismissed the American advisers, who, re- 
ceiving decorations and generous rewards, returned 
to their country. The great mistake of this Colonial 
Ministry was that they were carried away by foreign 



168 The Land o£ the Rising Sun 

methods and that they completely forgot the condi- 
tions of Japanese life. 

"Upon arrival there," says General Capron, "I 
was under the impression that Japan was suffering 
from overpopulation, but on closer acquaintance I 
saw that the main island, Nippon, could support 
twice its number of inhabitants." I will not take 
upon myself to decide how true this assertion is and 
only say that in the northern part of Nippon are great 
stretches of uncultivated and uninhabited territory. 
But it is also interesting to know that the Japanese, 
accustomed to the culture of rice, remove with great 
reluctance to a part where rice does not grow, and 
Yezo is not a rice-producing country. Wheat and 
other grains grow easily, however. That is the main 
reason why the experiments of the Kaitakushi were 
a failure. If the efforts of the ministry to colonize 
the country were not brilliantly successful, still there 
were some good results. For instance, in 1872 there 
was not a road on the island, and even the footpaths 
were not very comfortable, but now there are several 
carriage-roads and railroads, although nothing in 
comparison with the sums spent on them. 

The great wealth of the island is not gold, nor 
coal, of which we will speak in the proper place, but 
fish and sea colewort, exported to Japan and China. 
General Capron remarks very justly that the in- 
habitants of Yezo do not know how to profit by this 
wealth. The fish are prepared according to the de- 
mand of the Japanese and Chinese markets and the 
Japanese realize only one-half of what they would 
if the fish were prepared for export to Europe and 
America. In this case custom was stronger than the 



The Land of the Rising Sun 169 

advice of the practical American, and the great part 
of the catch goes as of old to the preparation of fish 
fertilizer, which is exported to southern Japan to 
be used as fertilizer on the rice fields. 

This fish fertilizer is made of herrings, which 
are caught in great cjuantities on the western shore 
of Yezo, from the beginning of April to the end of 
May. They are caught in bags which are sunk to a 
depth of forty feet, and fastened to a boat or to a 
raft. When the bag is full the fisher closes it and 
removes it by the aid of ropes. Great difficulty pre- 
sents itself in emptying these bags, especially in 
stormy weather, when quantities of the fish are lost. 
The fish in spawning season, which is three times a 
year, mistakes the network of the bags for sea cole- 
wort, as according to fishermen the fish are quite 
blind and do not know what they do. Sometimes it 
happens that they come in shoals into the bay of 
Otarunai, so that the whole population, even the 
children, catch them with hand nets or wooden 
basins. Generally, though, for the spawning, they 
seek deep places near rocks, and for this reason you 
wull see fishing- villages on rocky coasts and never a 
hut on the smooth sea beach. When the catch is 
brought in the large fish are slit from head to tail 
and hung up to dry, and the rest are used for the prep- 
aration of fertilizer. They are boiled in great kettles 
(three and a half feet in diameter and two feet high) 
and the fat is skimmed off and saved for illuminat- 
ing purposes, after which the whole mass is pressed 
and then broken up and spread on a matting to dry. 
The value of it depends upon the dryness of the 
season. It is packed in straw bags and is worth $42 



170 The Land of the Rising Sun 

a ton, and a hundred thousand tons are exported to 
Japan. Hakodate alone exports several millions 
worth of sea products, and this trade in always in- 
creasing. 

On the 29th of June there is in Hakodate a cele- 
bration in honor of warriors who have fallen on the 
field of battle. Although this is in reality not a fes- 
tival, but a memorial of sad events, still the crowds 
which throng the streets rejoice with all their hearts, 
laugh, joke, and enjoy everything to the utmost. All 
sorts of Japanese sweets are displayed, and trade goes 
on briskly. The slopes of the mountain are dotted 
with children, and even the smaller ones, on the 
backs of their mothers and sisters, are present. There 
are theatrical representations, but the public prefers 
to watch two policemen fencing. Of course they do 
not fence as we do in Europe. They have swords, 
or for safety bamboo sticks, which they clutch Japa- 
nese fashion with both hands. A stroke on the 
crown of the head, on the chest or side, counts. 
Three victorious strokes take the prize. There are 
always two assistants, old fencing masters. The fen- 
cers, according to the Japanese custom, rush at each 
other with shrieks, and taunting each other, are so 
carried away that they throw down their arms — 
happily only bamboo — and engage each other in a 
hand-to-hand fight and even try to strangle each 
other. The Japanese public loves this sport and ap- 
proves every good stroke with loud cries. 

In another place the crowd goes to see the wrest- 
lers. Two stout, naked men, with only a loin cloth, 
are walking about on an elevated place covered with 
loose earth. Their massive forms and the old Japa- 



The Land of the Rising Sun 171 

nese coiffure shows that they are wrestlers. Near by- 
stands the umpire, with a fan. In a nasal tone he 
calls the names of the wrestlers and they are ready 
for the fight. They begin by taking a pinch of salt 
for good luck, then rub their feet and hands with 
earth and squat on their heels opposite each other. 
Suddenl}^, with cries, they spring at each other, but 
this is only a prelude; they again take a pinch of 
salt and once more squat on their heels, rubbing their 
hands and trying the strength of their arms. Now 
they are ready for the real fight. The time I saw 
them they were of equal strength and the struggle 
lasted long. Finally the umpire separated them and 
stood in their place, while the wrestlers went and 
rinsed their mouths. Squatting on their knees they 
began again. The public meanwhile shrieked, 
squealed, and clapped their hands, and the organizers 
urged on the combatants, and purses, belts and other 
articles were thrown on the wrestling-ground — all 
these objects to belong to the victor. 

A second time the wrestlers could not displace 
each other from the elevation, for that is the aim of 
the struggle. When the wrestlers had departed and 
new names were called, out came a man from among 
the spectators and demanded with cries and gestures 
that the fight be continued, as there was a bet which 
could not be settled. The public howled and ap- 
plauded, and the wrestlers, seeing the insistence of 
the public, came in the arena. Our bawler bowed 
to the earth and jumped and whirled about for joy. 
Finally they were again in position, and after a long 
struggle one was thrown from the elevation. The 
enthusiasm of the public is indescribable. The win- 



172 The Land of the Rising Sun 

ner of the bet was beside himself with joy, and em- 
bracing the victor toolc him off to treat him. Dur- 
ing the entr'actes the wrestlers came to our place, 
where all the noted people of Hakodate were seated, 
and made a low bow. They were all clean and shin- 
ing after a bath, having made their toilets near 
where we sat. Women were serving them and they 
quite unconsciously moved about stark naked. At a 
cry of the herald a whole procession of wrestlers 
marched around the arena. Each had on, besides a 
loin cloth, an embroidered gold apron worth from 
$200 to $700. This ended the match. 

In July I made a trip to the north of the island, 
and the first point of interest was the Nanai model 
farm, arranged by the Colonial Ministry. Its ob- 
ject was to entirely revolutionize the Japanese and 
inoculate them with new tastes and new wants, and 
introduce into the country new grains and vegeta- 
bles. Instead of rice they should eat white bread 
and drink milk, which even to the present day they 
never do. In the very beginning General Capron 
complains that they will not follow his advice and 
that great sums of money are spent uselessly. The 
Government at first gave $50,000 a year to run it, 
but at the present time gives only $8,000, and the 
farm is going to ruin. For instance, in the horse- 
raising department they bought race-horses, which 
are of no use to the peasants. They showed me 
some Arabian steeds which were from Tonquin, and 
these were nothing extraordinary. The horned cat- 
tle brought at great expense from America are a 
useless luxury, as the peasants do not want cows, 
finding them entirely useless in farming ; they do not 



( 



The Land of the Rising Sun 173 

drink milk, and enrich their fields with fish fertili- 
zer, and as for a beast of burden, with the cheapness 
of labor it is more profitable to use men. 

Sheep (merinos) were brought from abroad, and 
one bright morning they were sold for meat, and a 
pasture of 2,000 acres was given for a song to one 
of the bosses. Cows bought for f 200 to $300 were 
disposed of to the same person for $40 a head. The 
vineyards, which had been planted with such great 
difficulty, on great stretches of land were destroyed, 
but what is left gives a great harvest, which is eaten 
up by the employees and their acquaintances. The 
success of the model farm is very limited, though 
optimists are of the opinion that many seeds have 
been distributed, but of the results they speak not. 
We can assert without mistake that the culture of 
foreign berries, vegetables, and grains are accepted 
by the Japanese with great difficulty. In spite of the 
close vicinity of the model farm to Hakodate, only 
the Japanese vegetables are sold there. The Japa- 
nese in this respect are very conservative and eat 
only what they have been accustomed to for ages. 
European vegetables are only found in the gardens 
of foreigners ; and in Yokohama, only where the 
Japanese see the great demand for them, will they 
turn their attention to the culture of foreign vegeta- 
bles. For one thing we can thank the model farm, 
and that is the delicious juicy fruits which cannot be 
found elsewhere in Japan. If we forget the cost of 
the farm we can enjoy the beautiful trees and its 
pleasant aspect, which reminds one of Europe. 

From Nanai the road climbs up the mountain and 
the driver stops and wets the mouths of the horses. 



174 The Land of the Rising Sun 

Here they rarely allow the animals to drink and only 
splash them with water. 

The spot is a dream of beauty ; everywhere the eye 
rests on forests, ravines, and brooks ; the air is clear 
and invigorating, and the coloring of the blue sea 
reminds one of the Adriatic. 

Finally we reach the highest point, and a wonder- 
ful panorama is before us, in the midst of which, 
rosy in the rays of the setting sun, rises the volcano 
Kamogatake, while the crests of the mountains are 
already tinged with purple. Lake Ylu lies white and 
still in its shroud of lilies and a small temple stands 
guard on the island. 



Chapter XVII 

Mori — Mororan — Tlic clainiio of Sendai and his samurai — 
Soldiers' settlements — Ainu — Their home hfc — Japanese 
Chicago — A ceremonious Japanese dinner — Porunai mines 
and a penitentiary colony — As guest in a Japanese house. 

The road to Mori was very bad, with hollows and 
gulleys at every step as we descended to Volcano 
Bay. To our right rose the bare and rocky cone of 
the volcano. My interpreter was quite enthusiastic 
about the scenery. "Quite like Siberia," he said. 
"The same way of cultivating the fields ; burning the 
forests ; the same vegetation, telegas, and riders." 

In Mori — miserable little village ! — we found the 
small boat ready to depart. All looked smiling, the 
weather was beautiful and the volcano with its red- 
dish lava stood out pink and bright against the blue 
sky. We had not gone far before we ran into a fog, 
followed by a cold wind ; the waves rose so high that 
we had to seek shelter in the hold, the only place we 
could hide ourselves in from the storm. The cap- 
tain remained alone on the bridge. We breathed a 
sigh of relief when we arrived in Mororan, a hos- 
pitable little village, with only one street, where the 
inhabitants make drawings of a very primitive char- 
acter on shells. 

The following day we continued our journey in 
a sail-boat to Mombetsu, and with us went a col- 
onist and several Buddha monks. The colonist talk- 



176 The Land of the Rising Sun 

ed continually about his property and the monk read 
a book diligently. Running before the wind we 
reached Mororan in two hours. Over the few 
houses that composed old Mororan rises the volcano 
Usu, standing just opposite the Komogatake. In 
Mombetsu I was met by the chief of the district, a 
very nice man, who had been to Europe and spoke 
three languages. 

Mombetsu is now the residence of the Sendai 
daimio, who was defeated in 1868 by the Imperial 
army. He retired to Mombetsu with all his samu- 
rai, who changed their arms for the ploughshare 
and appear very contented. The Colonial Ministry 
erected a beet-root sugar factory in Mombetsu, 
which cost a great sum of money and gave nothing 
in return. It has been disposed of to private persons 
under very good conditions — to the private persons 
certainly. My new official acquaintance invited me 
to go on horseback to have a look at the surround- 
ings. The nearer fields are covered with beets; 
farther on Indian corn is growing, together with 
indigo, and other gramineus plants, and still 
farther on rises the primeval forest with giant trees, 
wild mulberry, and the twining, climbing wild grape. 
In the hottest weather it is cool in this forest, and 
the silence is intense, unbroken by the song of a sin- 
gle bird. The mass of climbing plants, covering all 
the trees with an impenetrable net-work of succulent 
brilliant green, reminds one of the tropics. Of these 
climbers the wild grape predominates. Running up 
to the top of the trees it springs over to the next one, 
and making another vault winds its delicate green 
about a dead tree, then swings out in every direction. 



The Land of the Rising Sun 177 

clasping all things in its chain-like embrace — in fact, 
seems not to know how to spend its energy. The 
most beautifnl of these vines is the hortensia, with 
!ts cascades of white flowers dangling from the high- 
est trees. 

In the evening a French missionary visited me, 
and he was interesting as the typical representative 
of the Catholic missionaries in the Far East. Gener- 
ally speaking the Catholic missionaries are real fanat- 
ics in their cause, and it is only this fanaticism which 
makes bearable the hardships they endnre. In com- 
parison the English and American missionaries have 
every comfort. These latter live in good houses, 
with large gardens, and receive excellent compensa- 
tion (from $125 to $200 a month). The Catholic 
missionaries receive for food and clothing only $12 
a month, and live like a Japanese, on rice; and as 
for comfort, what can one expect with such small 
means? But this is not their aim. They move 
about, going from one place to another; know the 
Japanese language well, and study the country, and 
wherever it is possible, spread their religion. Many 
of these missionaries give their whole private for- 
tunes to the propaganda and bear equal hardships 
with their comrades. The missionary of whom I 
speak was even more energetic and active than the 
majority. He was a good botanist, and making col- 
lections of plants sold them to different scientific 
societies, and with the money he received built a 
church in an out of the way place. But one had to 
avoid religious discussions or fight to the knife — he 
would not admit that there was anything outside of 
Catholicism, If one keeps off religious subjects he 



178 The Land of the Rising Sun 

is a very agreeable and clever companion, and what 
is more he knows the country as well as his five 
fingers. He told me that the colonists reminded him 
''toute proportion gardee" of Americans, by their 
broad ideas, so dijfferent from the inhabitants of the 
interior of Japan. As they were for the most part 
samurai, so they were on a higher level than the 
most of the Japanese. In the other parts of Japan 
the people are poverty-stricken, while here they have 
more elbow room, as much land as they want, and 
their habits and customs are freer. 

On the road from Mororan one passes the village 
of Shiribetz, with pretty, regular houses, new and 
neat as pins, which belong to the military settlers, or 
Cossacks, as Iwai San called them. 

Not long ago the emigration to Yezo went on 
without order and system. First came speculators, 
who counted on obtaining large profits by buying 
great tracts of land and selling them at high prices. 
With them came masses of people without a copper, 
who had to be returned to their former homes. Now 
the government has divided all the emigrants into 
three categories — colonists, samurai, and military 
settlers. 

The first category receives a subsidy of $20 ($10 
for building a house, $8 for agricultural implements, 
and $1 for seeds). For the most part these, not 
knowing anything about agriculture and hearing 
that in Yezo the wages are higher than in other parts 
of Japan, dispersed themselves in towns or found 
occupation in fisheries, which as we have seen fur- 
nish very profitable employment. 



The Land of the Rising Sun 179 

The samurai received for each family, on tlie 
right of possession, 10,000 tsiibo (a tsubo is six 
square feet), and they could buy 1,000 tsubo as 
property at a dollar a tsubo. Besides this they re- 
ceived $313, which could be paid back in twenty 
years ; but they were obliged, during a period of three 
years, to clear and work 3,000 tsubo, and in case of 
non-compliance they forfeited their land. Thus one 
hundred and five families settled, taking 327,000 
tsubos. I saw one of these samurai colonies, and 
they seemed prosperous, many of them receiving 
good profit from the culture of indigo. Fearing 
that Russia would invade Yezo, the Japanese Gov- 
ernment endeavored to form something like the 
Cossack settlements. The settlers were called to 
military exercises in April and December; the rest 
of the time they could be agriculturists. 

Every warrior received 17 tsubo for his house and 
5,000 for cultivation. The government provides for 
the traveling expenses and the building of the 
houses. Besides the salary, according to rank, he 
receives for three years a certain sum for salt and 
vegetables. He is freed from taxes, and formerly 
each family received a block sum of $611, but now 
it is only $484. In case of the death of the settler 
the family is cared for by the government. In 
Hakodate the military settlers are occupied in rope 
making and those in Sapporo in silk culture. As I 
said, these Japanese Cossacks seem very prosperous, 
and they only fear that the government pay will be 
stopped. 

Horobetz is a big .Vino village, and there lives the 
missionary Batchelor, giving all his energy to the 



180 The Land of the Rising Sun 

study of this interesting people. He has published 
an Aino dictionary and grammar and collected their 
folk-lore, and living many years among them knows 
them very well. There is, however, no lack of books 
about the Ainos, as there are as many as 465 titles, 
and there are many Russian names among them. 
Ainos themselves have no alphabet nor literature. 
They say that their hero, Yosisune, who taught 
them agriculture, boat-building and bow-making, 
took away all their books and papers. They are not 
very numerous (17,062), and statistics cannot yet 
decide whether they are dying out or not. Many 
Japanese take the Aino women for wives ; but never 
an Aino will take a Japanese woman, who despises 
an Aino. The Aino woman, on the contrary, con- 
siders it an honor to be united in marriage to a Japa- 
nese. The children of these unions are very weakly, 
and generally consumptive. The relations between 
the Japanese and the Aino cannot be called friendly. 
Japanese look upon them with contempt and con- 
sider that they sprang from the union of a dog and 
woman. The Ainos also keep aloof from the Japa- 
nese. In regard to their outward appearance, the 
Ainos are handsomer and taller than the Japanese, 
with large brown eyes, short and broad noses, and 
with a facial angle of 70 degrees. The principal 
peculiarity of the Aino is that they have large, heavy 
beards, and in fact their skin is covered with hair. 
They are whiter than the Japanese, although it is dif- 
ficult to discern their color, as they do not wash. 
The women disfigure themselves by tattooing their 
upper lips, forehead, and hands; but the girls who 
have not been tattooed are very pretty. The Ainos 



The Land of the Rising Sun 181 

do not resemble the Mongols; rather, as says Sie- 
bold, they resemble Europeans living under bad cir- 
cumstances. All those who have lived among the 
Ainos have the same impression, that they are a 
very sympathetic people, courteous, even tempered, 
calm and dignified. One can believe that one is 
dealing with people with good bringing up. Isa- 
bella Bird, who has lived some time among them, de- 
scribes them with great praise, finding that they 
have many European traits of character. These wild 
children of nature respect old age, are kind-hearted, 
and thoughtful for the sick and poor. Murder and 
theft are unknown among them. The mothers love 
their children tenderly and never beat them, and 
they are modest and well behaved. They are hospi- 
table and never take advantage of strangers, as do 
the Japanese. Willingly they propose their services, 
dividing with you what they have, and refusing pay, 
saying it would displease the Great Spirit. The 
costume of the Aino is prepared from the bark of 
trees, which is soaked in water several days and cut 
in finest strips, and these they weave on a most 
primitive loom. The border, sleeves, and back are 
decorated with embroideries. It is interesting to 
note that the Ainos lap their garment, not like the 
Asiatics from right to left, but like the Europeans, 
from left to right. They wear a leather garment 
which is very much like the Russian shirt. Every 
Aino carries in his belt a knife, a tobacco-pouch 
made of bear skin or bark, his pipe, flint, steel, and 
tinder. They go barefoot in the summer and in the 
winter put on foot-gear; the children, until 13 or 14 
years of age, run naked. The children, as well as old 



182 The Land of the Rising Sun 

people, wear earrings, and the women are fond of 
beads and bracelets. Every traveler speaks of the 
dirt of the Ainos. They not only never wash them- 
selves, but never clean their clothes, and so have a 
most unpleasant odor. Their houses are constructed 
in the most primitive manner, without chimneys, 
and are always filled with smoke, which has an es- 
cape hole in the wall. Their utensils are not rich, 
consisting only of wooden bowls and cups. When 
they eat they hold their moustaches out of the way 
with a stick. Like the Japanese, they use chopsticks 
and spoons; and like them they sit on the floor on 
two sorts of matting. Their beds are eighteen inches 
above the floor, made of wooden planks covered 
with deer and bear skins. On a slight elevation near 
the place of honor, where sits the master of the 
house, are hidden the treasures, consisting of silk 
materials and valuable arms, which are all kept in 
lacquered boxes. During my visits to the Ainos I 
tried to persuade them to sell me some of their 
things, but they would not hear of it, saying they 
were heirlooms and that it was not proper to sell 
them. The existence of such treasures is certainly 
not in harmony with the interior of these Aino 
dwellings, which, being dirty, full of smoke, and 
alive with insects, are not attractive. For lighting 
purposes they use splints of wood and sometimes 
fish oil. The walls of the dwellings are decorated 
with the trophies of the hunt, bear skulls, fishing 
tackle, winnowing fans, sea colewort, spinning- 
wheels, and bows with poisoned arrows (they poison 
them with aconite, mith, spider and tobacco juice). 
They have gardens with tobacco, Indian corn, buck- 



The Land of the Rising Sun 183 

wheat, etc. In the garden is the store-house for 
provisions and furs, built on piles six to eight feet 
high for protection against animals. The Ainos are 
good huntsmen. They hunt bears in the following 
manner: Tracking a bear to his den they place 
wooden beams across the hole and then make a deaf- 
ening noise, and when the bear tries to get out under 
the beams it is shot with poisoned arrows.- The 
Ainos always prefer the arrow to the gun, and they 
like the Japanese sword. 

Traveling in this part of the country one must get 
accustomed to do without bread, milk and meat ; but 
on the other hand, if you are used to Japanese cook- 
ing you can fare very well. In the inns the cleanli- 
ness is extraordinary, and they will give you a good 
futon, or wadded quilt, with a huge mosquito net- 
ting (kaya) which takes up the whole room. From 
the point of view of cleanliness the poorest Japanese 
inn is better than a third-class European hotel; but 
the European must put up with such inconvenien- 
ces as being offered sweet cakes and tea when he is 
hungry, and he must wait long and patiently for his 
dinner, as they will not prepare anything out of 
hours, no matter what argument is used. His shoes 
will also be taken from him, and he will be forced to 
walk in stocking-feet. 

From Shiraoi to Chitose there is marshland and 
sand ; moss grows on the marshes and now and then 
a distorted tree. At times it seems to me that I am 
not in Japan, but traveling through the marshy dis- 
trict of the government of Novgorod. The road 
from Chitose grows prettier, mountains and woods 
appear. In Shimamatz a carriage was awaiting us, 



184 The Land of the Rising Sun 

sent by the Governor of Sapporo. We found it com- 
fortable, the rolling landscape beautiful, and every- 
where the silence of the aromatic forest. It would 
seem to be perfection, but as we entered this en- 
chanted forest there fell upon us clouds of flies and 
horse-flies, and we could only exist by vigorous fan- 
ning and smoking. The plight of the horses was 
indescribable, for they were covered from head to 
foot, and wild with pain they tried to break loose 
from the shafts. 

The town of Sapporo, at the foot of high and 
wooded mountains, has broad streets, but with the 
exception of public buildings all the houses are 
small, or rather they are simply boards put together. 
And this they call Japanese Chicago ! The Japanese, 
creating the capital of Yezo (Hokkaido) there, 
where fifteen years ago stood an impenetrable forest, 
made a great mistake. All the money which was 
spent on Sapporo would have given much better re- 
sults had it been invested in Hakodate, which has a 
larger population and is more important on account 
of its geographical position on the sea, and it is the 
chief commercial center of Yezo. But the Japanese 
do not like such criticism, and therefore let us take 
a look at Sapporo. 

The best and prettiest building is the European 
Hotel, the only one on the island, and let us examine 
it closely. It is a two-storied building, with a circu- 
lar porch and columns and surrounded by a beautiful 
garden, with brooks, bridges, islands, and artificial 
rocks. The government constructed this in a hurry, 
for a visit of the Emperor, afterwards leasing it to a 
private individual. There is a dining-room, a bil- 



The Land of the Rising Sun 185 

Hard-room, and seven bed-rooms. They are large 
and high, for excepting the bed there is no furniture, 
and the service is beneath criticism. On the top 
floor there is a hixurious apartment reserved for 
guests of distinction. 

The pubHc building, with its dome, is on the 
model of the Washington Capitol. The Governor, 
Iwamura, invited me to a Japanese dinner. The 
house where this feast was offered is in the midst of 
a park. When we took off our foot-gear we were 
led to a large room without furniture. The mat- 
ting- was covered with great carpets and pillows 
were placed in certain order. The g-uest of honor 
is seated in the center at the end of the room, the 
others are placed according to rank, the master of 
the house always taking the last place near the door. 
We had hardly seated ourselves when before each 
guest appeared a mousuie (girl) in a pretty colored 
kimono with a bright sash (obi). They all knelt 
and placed before each guest a cup of green tea with 
cakes and Japanese sweets; following this they 
brought lacquered trays upon which were lacquered 
bowls with Japanese dishes. But the guests who were 
acquainted with Japanese customs touched nothing 
until the master of the house showed the example. 
Generally he begins by making a short speech, in 
which he speaks contemptuously of his dinner, ex- 
cusing himself for giving to his guests such rotten 
and bad things to eat; but that he hopes that his 
guests will be indulgent and condescend to take 
with him sake, which will take away the bad taste 
of the dinner. This ceremony finished, everybody 
begins to dine, or, more exactly, to drink. There 



186 The Land of the Rising Sun 

are many dishes, but the Japanese rarely touch them, 
as they drink sake first and it is accompanied by 
many ceremonies. But before I describe these cere- 
monies let me say a word about the menu of the din- 
ner, consisting of many courses, including a whole 
dinner, and beginning with soup in lacquered cups, 
which are lifted to the mouth to drink ; but it is not 
so easy with the hard food, which one must eat with 
chop sticks, and this creates many pleasant laughs. 
You are generally taught this art by the geisha who 
is appointed to serve you. 

The dinner, in spite of the many dishes, is very 
light, and you do not rise from the table with a 
heavy stomach, as in Europe, but more likely with 
a heavy head, as one is obliged to drink quantities of 
sake. The dinner begins by the host approaching 
the guest of honor and, falling on his knees before 
him, saying, "Allow me, please, to drink sake from 
your cup." The guest refuses, saying that he is 
ashamed ; but finally taking the cup, he rinses it, and 
placing it in the hollow of his hand passes it to the 
host, who touches his forehead with it. The mousme 
fills it with sake and the host drinks it, after which, 
rinsing the cup, he returns it to his guest, who goes 
through exactly the same form. The host goes 
through the same ceremony with every guest, and if 
there are forty guests there are forty cups of sake, 
which is no small quantity. Each guest must do the 
same thing with all other guests. You can imagine 
that their heads are all swimming, and people who 
seemed tiresome and silent in the beginning grow 
playful and talkative. The game of forfeit begins, 
the loser always taking a cup of sake. The geishas 



The Land of the Rising Sun 187 

take part in this game and the guests strive to make 
them gay and drunk. It is already Bedlam and 
everybody is drunk when the real dinner, that is, the 
eating of rice begins, which is the last course, after 
which they do not drink any more. 

Sometimes during the dinner, sometimes after, the 
dancing and singing begins. The costumes of the 
dancers are very rich. The first dance represents the 
love of two women for the same man, the second is 
the Japanese version of the myth of Pygmalion and 
Galathea. The Japanese Pygmalion is the famous 
sculptor and carver of wood, Hidari Jingoro, who 
centered all his talent in carving out of wood a per- 
fectly beautiful woman, with which he fell in love; 
and one day his work suddenly became alive and the 
beautiful woman lived before him, but although his 
art had been able to produce life he could not give to 
his creation a soul. She had not an independent will, 
but acted according to the promptings of Hidari 
Jingoro, whose one desire was to make her a real 
woman, and he finally concluded to show her a mir- 
ror. Seeing a mirror, she became feminine, and 
when it was taken away from her she became an 
automaton. This mimic representation was irre- 
proachable. The happiness of Hidari Jingoro when 
he had succeeded in putting life into his statue was 
very well rendered, and also his disappointment 
when he realized that it was only a doll, and his enthu- 
siasm when he sees her with a mirror, and his sorrow 
when she disappears. 

The third dance was an historical one and with 
ancient costumes. Two sisters meet on the sea-shore 
an aristocrat who has been exiled for three years. 



188 The Land of the Rising Sun 

One of the sisters declares her love for him, but he, 
during this declaration, sits like a stone and only 
accepts her love after many prayers on her part, 
after which she begins combing his hair, fondling, 
and serving him. Then appears the other sister, who is 
also in love with him, and he also listens indifferently 
to her words of love, but finally yields to her prayers. 
Then begins a struggle between the sisters, each try- 
ing to tear the unhappy stranger from the other, 
until he finally persuades them both to live with him 
in peace. But his life of exile, even with the beauti- 
ful women, is burdensome to him, and he secretly 
runs away from them. The cast of this last struggle 
is wonderfully represented by the geishas, for all the 
roles are taken by women. The despair of his wives 
is very realistic and they wish to overtake him, but 
on the sea-shore they meet sailors, who begin to 
make love to them. They refuse these advances, one 
throwing herself into the sea, the other losing her 
mind. 

The fourth piece was the story of a courtesan, and 
the costumes were of the greatest richness, the dance 
with the branches of flowering cherry being very 
pretty. The music accompanying these dances seems 
to the European ear monotonous and devoid of har- 
mony; but I have heard many times motives full of 
original beauty and melody, and I was always told 
that it was old Chinese music. The ordinary Japa- 
nese music, without which there is never a Japanese 
dinner, is only pleasant to hear at a distance in the 
dead of a summer night, when the monotonous tones 
of the samisen blend with the plaintive notes of the 
flute, the melancholy sailor songs, and the chirping 



The Land of the Rising Sun 189 

of the insects ; in other words, wlien the saniiscn is 
not lieard alone, but melts into the surrounding 
chorus of nature. 

Before leaving Sapporo I visited the coal mines of 
Porunai. Let me say, that the island has gold ore 
in Sorutai and Sohome, and Tokachi and Uksame 
contain immense deposits of sulphur and coal. The 
sulphur is found in Isami, Kabuni, Iwanai, and Ata- 
sanobori near Kushiro. In the latter place are the 
greatest deposits of sulphur, which is taken out with 
but little trouble. Atasanobori cannot be called an 
extinct volcano, as at very little depth the earth is 
already hot and gases escape with great noise, bring- 
ing up the sulphur. The extent of these sulphur 
beds is calculated at hundreds of thousands of tons; 
and as for the coal mines, they are still richer, and 
the deposits of coal in the Hokkaido reach a billion 
tons. 

The road from Sapporo to Porunai crosses richly 
cultivated fields. Before us is the familiar picture of 
people harvesting the wheat and gathering it into 
sheaves. Farther on we see the clean houses of the 
military settlers and soon appears Porunai Buto, a 
pretty town, also with clean houses (1,050 inhabi- 
tants and 2,000 convicts). From Porunai we took a 
coal train and rode on an open platform, loaded with 
different materials. Both sides of the road were 
lined with forest with only here and there small 
oases of cultivated ground. One part of the road 
leads through a snow shed, climbing ever higher, 
while the engine pushes from behind. 

We were received at Porunai by the authorities, 
who invited us to breakfast. The meal consisted of 



190 The Land of the Rising Sun 

a plentiful supply of Japanese dishes, — rice, cucum- 
bers, pickled water melon and omelet, — which were 
served in European style on a table, with forks and 
knives. 

After visiting we returned to Porunai on a plat- 
form car loaded with coal, and there found a com- 
fortable carriage to take us to the penitentiary 
colony, which as far as I could see was a model of 
good order. The town built by the convicts made 
a very good impression with its broad streets, clean 
houses built like Russian izbas, and elegant public 
buildings. Beyond the town beautifully cultivated 
fields are interspersed with good roads, and one can- 
not realize that it is all the work of convicts, some of 
whom work in the mines, others are occupied with 
agriculture, and still others are in workshops making 
clothes, boots, ropes, furniture, and all that is neces- 
sary for their household use. After a thorough in- 
spection of the penitentiary colony we returned to 
the house of the superintendent, who had kindly 
invited me to be his guest. He was a very pleasant- 
faced Japanese with a flowing beard, and as it is the 
first Japanese house I have lived in, it will not be 
out of place to say a few words about the Japanese 
home life. 

I have already told you how the houses are built 
with nothing European about them. The noise of 
removing the outer wooden sliding walls is terrific. 
The mistress of the house, before doing anything 
else in the morning, reaches for tobacco and smokes 
a small pipe. The pipe is so tiny that she can only 
take one whiff, after which she empties it on an ash- 
tray and fills it anew. Every one who has slept in 



The Land of the Rising Sun 191 

a Japanese house is famihar with this tap of the pipe 
against the ash-tray. After this the Japanese lady 
goes to the bath-room to make her toilet, which con- 
sists in cleaning her teeth with a wooden brush, dur- 
ing which time she and all the household cough 
loudly and make noises as if they were sea-sick. They 
do not wash their faces, but only wipe them off with 
a soft brush; and the ladies powder themselves and 
cover their lips with red salve. A Japanese lady's 
toilet is not complicated, consisting only of a piece of 
stuff wrapped around her hips, the kimono, and a 
sash. 

While the mistress is dressing, the servant has 
already dusted the room with a feather, placed a 
kettle with the boiling water on the hibachi ; poured 
the water on the tea in a tiny tea-pot, and warmed 
some fish, tai, or salmon, after which begins the daily 
life, the woman working at hand work, playing on 
the samisen, gossiping with their neighbors and 
reading the papers ; the men going to their business, 
and returning only in the evening to their homes, for 
which hour the bath is always prepared. If there is 
a guest in the house he goes in the bath first, after- 
wards the master, then the wife, and finally the ser- 
vants. You will wonder if they all wash in the same 
water. Yes, but it is done in the following manner. 
The Japanese do not wash with soap, but rub them- 
selves with pumice, and pour a bucket of water over 
themselves, after which they jump in the bath for a 
minute. But even so, it is not pleasant to bathe in 
the water which other people have used. When you 
are in a Japanese hotel you must always ask if any- 
one has already been in the bath. In the house of 
which I speak I was the first to go in the bath, and 



192 The Land of the Rising Sun 

the cleanliness of everything was irreproachable, but 
I could not profit by this, as the water was so hot that 
I was nearly scalded. After his bath the master of 
the house puts on his bath robe and sits down to din- 
ner. Instead of the Japanese dinner on the matting-, 
ours was a mixed affair, as the master of the house 
had ordered a table and chairs, and my cook cooked 
the dinner, much to the discomfort of the hostess. 
But there was nothing to be done, as it had been or- 
dered without my knowledge. We all tried the 
mixture of European and Japanese dishes, washing 
them down with sake and European wines. My host 
was in his yukata, or bath robe, but he had invited 
several of his colleagues to meet me, and there was 
soon an animated conversation among the Japanese, 
to the great delight of my interpreter. 

At ten o'clock I withdrew, leaving them to talk on 
till a late hour. They generally bring into the bed- 
room two futons or quilts in the place of a bed and 
one futon, which is used as a cover, has big sleeves, 
and is fastened in the back. The Japanese have no 
pillows, only a makura, like a little wooden bench, 
on which they rest their necks, and in this uncom- 
fortable position they sleep. It is interesting to 
note that the Japanese makura resembles very much 
the Egyptian pillow as it is represented on the ancient 
monuments. 

At night the women wear a sort of shirt (jiban) 
with a crape or silk kimono, and loosen their belt, 
and it is remarkable how quickly they change their 
day clothes for those they wear at night. When the 
guests are gone the wooden walls are closed and 
fastened with iron bolts and the household sinks to 
slumber. 



Chapter XVIII 

From Aoniori to Tokyo — Reception by the Governor of 
Morioka — Women wrestlers — A dinner in the old ceremo- 
nial style — Nikko. 

After farewell dinners and visits I left Hakodate. 
The crossing to Aomori was pleasant enough and 
the little ship Kanko Marii went valiantly through 
the straits, unfortunately in the night, so that we saw 
nothing, and the next morning we were in the broad 
bay of Aomori. Aomori is the chief town in the 
province and has a considerable commerce in rice. 

Before leaving Aomori in jinrikshas we were en- 
veloped in drizzling rain, which finally cleared ofif, 
and we had a good look at the surrounding country. 
The road winds along the coast or climbs the moun- 
tain and the landscape resembles very much the 
Crimea. In the background rises a range of moun- 
tains of fantastic form. The soil is favorable to the 
cultivation of rice. Iwai San does not approve of 
the way they arrange the ricks here. In some places 
the peasants with handkerchiefs tied around their 
heads or wearing straw hats, were busy harvesting. 
At first I thought they were using sickles, but I 
found that they were cutting the wheat with small 
scythes attached to wooden handles. The villages 
appeared very poor, the houses being built of wicker, 
covered with straw or cane roofs. But one must not 



194 The Land of the Rising Sun 

judge by the exterior, as they say that this region is 
rich in many products and has a great trade. 

Until one reaches Kaminato there are only small 
villages with poverty-stricken houses, many inhab- 
itants of which are suffering from sore eyes. Iwai 
San inquired as to the reason of such poverty, and 
was answered that the harvest was good but that the 
people were lazy. Others said that rice does not 
grow well in these parts and that the inhabitants 
would not plant other grain. The missionary, who 
knows the country well, tells me that the people are 
burdened by too heavy taxes. 

There is nothing of interest on the road to Tchi- 
noe. After a mountainous country, covered with 
forests, a broad valley filled with rice and buckwheat 
opens before us. In spite of the fact that the soil Is 
fertile all along the way, there are very few villages 
(we passed two villages in 20 kilometers) . The type 
of the inhabitants is very ugly, with the exception 
of our kurumayas, who had delicate features and 
fine eyes. These kurumayas made the trip of twenty 
kilometers in three hours and a half, although the 
road led up hill and down dale. Upon arrival they 
took a hot bath and changed their clothes. They are 
well educated, and many kurumayas and coolies 
know the Chinese characters and are much better in- 
formed than most house servants. 

We read of the terrible experiences of Isabella 
Bird on her trip to Yezo and northern Japan. At 
one time she could get no peace on account of people 
peering into her room, another time she was eaten 
up by fleas, and the third she almost died of thirst ; 
but as she says she only took for the journey a 



The Land of the Rising Sun 195 

bunch of grapes and a bottle of water, it is no won- 
der that she feh discomforts. To my great regret I 
saw and felt none of these unfortunate conditions 
while traveling. True, I was well provided for, as 
I had my interpreter and my cook, and the local 
authorities always sent a policeman to accompany 
me. I had always a provision of tea, coffee, bread, 
sugar, wine, sardines, and cheese; and for the rest, 
chickens, eggs, and fish can be found everywhere. 
The presence of the policeman prevented the people 
from being troublesome ; but generally they appeared 
to be indifferent to foreigners, and instead of sur- 
prise at sight of us they glanced at us carelessly and 
went their way. The time when our arrival did cre- 
ate a sensation I will speak of later. I noted one 
thing especially — the entire absence of beggars; and 
also that the kurumayas never ask for a tip, content- 
ing themselves with the price agreed upon. The 
houses here are forlorn, but the people do not suffer 
from poverty, and if the}'- do the}^ hide it. One can 
say more exactly that they are happy and contented 
with little. Another interesting thing is that there 
seem to be no estates as in our country. The nobles 
live in the villages with the rest of the people, and 
only the outward appearance of the house shows the 
wealth of the master. In the small town if there is a 
nice building it is surely the school-house, for the 
smallest village has a school. 

The police-station is also generally a building in 
European style with a tower for the fire department. 
The policemen always look like dandies. They are 
generally of the samurai class, and the wonder is, 
with such poor pay how they can make both ends 



196 The Land of the Rising Sun 

meet. The richest people are always the owners of 
disreputable houses (and there are many) and the 
sake merchants. 

It is said that after the harvest season there are 
bull fights, the bulls in this neighborhood being fed 
on eggs. This is not astonishing when one hears of 
horses and cows being fed on fish in many places. 

From Gonohe there is a steep ascent and the road 
winds around and up a beautiful mountain covered 
with green. Groups of scarlet maples stand out in 
all their glory. Far below a river is murmuring, 
people are moving; and farther on Is the lake of 
Towato, where the river Osakagawa has its rise. 
There also are silver mines. Finally, a beautiful 
view over Asaka midzu and a rich valley opens be- 
fore us. In olden times it was the abode of brigands 
and no chance visitor ever saw the light of the fol- 
lowing day. This village is the only one in all Japan 
where meat was eaten in former times, and accord- 
ing to popular belief the inhabitants fed on human 
flesh. On this trip I saw for the first time the trees 
from which the Japanese procure their valuable 
lacquer. 

A slit is made in the tree and the sap running out 
is conducted through a pipe into a wooden bowl. The 
sap is collected from May to October. The selected 
tree is cut twenty times. At first the sap has a gray- 
ish color, then yellow, and with exposure to the air 
it turns black. They strain it through a cloth to 
clean it from wood and dirt, then part of it is poured 
into a round vase and is stirred six or seven hours, 
after which it is placed in a brazier to extract the 
water. During the stirring powdered iron is thrown 



The Land of the Rising Sun 197 

into it to give it a certain brilliancy. Our arrival 
here created a sensation, evidently, for all the village 
ran out to look at ns; but the police held back the 
crowd, which remained at a respectful distance. 

As Morioka is the capital of the province I decided 
to stop there a day or two. It is surrounded by 
mountains on all sides and makes a good impression 
by its cleanliness, and by its elegant buildings sur- 
rounded by gardens. 

The Governor, to whom I made a visit, was 
the incarnation of kindness and gaiety. He invited 
me to dinner, and appointed several of his aids to 
show me all that was to be seen in Morioka, but the 
sights are few. However, we saw the castle of the 
former daimio. The actual castle does not exist; 
only the walls of the citadel remain, and these are 
covered with bushes and trees. The former daimio 
lives even now in Morioka and it is said is very rich. 
Every day he has for his amusement some fireworks, 
surely as a consolation for his lost power. On the 
way to the bazaar we went to look at the women 
wrestlers, and the fat gentleman who was accom- 
panying us rolled over with laughter. He afterwards 
showed us the museum where are exposed the 
products of the country, which are porcelain and 
lacquer, and a mineral collection with specimens of 
gold, silver, copper, sulphur, etc. There is a silk 
factory, where they make silk stuffs and dye them; 
then a porcelain factory, a paper mill, iron-works, 
and a stud, which is now in private hands. 

In Morioka there are many pretty shaded gardens 
and parks, and from the mountain, where formerly 
stood the temple, an extensive view of all the town 



198 The Land of the Rising Sun 

can be had. Not far from there is the pubHc garden, 
where always can be found myriads of children feed- 
ing the fish. The Governor's dinner, which accord- 
ing to Iwai San was to be a very ceremonious affair, 
was given at the club, and the garden and all the 
buildings were hung with garlands of multicolored 
lanterns. 

We were not served by mousmes this time, but by 
youths in old Japanese costumes, of the time of the 
Dictator Nobunaga, so the host informed us. The 
conversation turned on serious subjects. We spoke 
of Nobunaga, the chances in Japan, of Bulgarian and 
Afghanistan questions. After the dinner we retired 
to another room, where table and chairs were ar- 
ranged. The Governor informed us that according 
to the ceremonial of Nobunaga there was no singing 
and dancing, but that as I was a stranger and must 
have been bored during the dinner, he had ordered 
dances to amuse me. The walls separated, we heard 
music, and the dancers appeared. I will not describe 
these dances, as I have already spoken about them. 

The road from Morioka is lined with hundred- 
year-old cryptomerias, and it made me sad to see that 
many of these beautiful trees had been cut down to 
level the road. Everywhere the eye rests on rice 
fields or pastures, with cattle feeding, and throngs of 
people are traveling along the road. In the distance 
rises the volcano Gan Jiusan, which, on account of 
its likeness to the holy mountain of Japan, is called 
the Fuji of Nambu. 

I owe it to the kindness of the Governor of 
Morioka that I was able to visit Ghiusondi, with its 
temple, where is shown the portrait of Yeshi-tsune 



The Land o£ the Rising Sun 199 

and his companion Benke, who has a perfect African 
type. The face of Yeshi-tsune, on the contrary, is 
white and very handsome. The shrine is of wood, 
covered with gold lacquer, and the stucco work is 
gold, inlaid with mother-of-pearl, and very well 
preserved. 

We passed the night at the house of a "famous 
gentleman," according to Iwai San, whose fame 
rested on the fact that he was very rich and that the 
Emperor stopped at his house when he came to visit 
the temple of Chiusondi. 

Iwai San went into ecstasies over the arrangement 
of the house, especially the bath, which was quite 
European. The "famous gentleman's" bill was 
modest, and when I wanted to give money to the 
servants, both Iwai San and the official advised me 
to give it to the master through the official, which 
I did, and a few moments later appeared the master 
and threw himself three times on the ground before 
me. 

From Kosenji we went on the boat down the river 
Kita kami to Ichinomaki to see the exposition of 
local products. 

The next interesting place is Matsushima, where 
we found throngs of pilgrims and people returning 
from the festival in Sendai. The hotel was full and 
many people were crowded into a room. Thanks to 
the influence of our companion, quarters were 
prepared for us in the neighboring temple. 

But I have not said anything of the place, the 
fame of which has been sung by Japanese poets. 
Matsushima is one of the three places famous for 
the beauty of the landscape, and even Iwai San 



200 The Land of the Rising Sun 

confessed to me that he himself was moved to write 
verses here. As I gazed on Matsushima I under- 
stood why the Japanese love it — the landscape 
embraces all that Japanese consider beautiful. 
There are rocks, curiously shaped trees, the sea as 
tranquil as a lake, and temples and grottoes. The 
favorite Japanese landscape does not impress by its 
grandeur or wild beauty; on the contrary, it is a 
beautiful miniature, full of charm and harmony, and 
it would be difficult not to admire these fantastic 
rocks, surmounted by two or three pines ; these white 
islands of lime and stone, with small temples perched 
upon them, in the midst of the soft blue sea lapping 
lazily in the sunshine. 

On the road to the temple, which is kept in order 
by the Count Date, I noticed many grottoes and 
niches in which were lanterns cut out of the stone. 
One of these grottoes is very large, and the Japanese 
could not understand why I was so interested in 
them. Many of them, and there are about thirty, 
are used as store-houses for straw and household 
effects. The caves belonging to the temples of 
India are certainly more magnificent, but the idea 
is one and the same. The priest told us that there 
was a passage from one of these grottoes to a great 
hall, but he had never been to it and only knew about 
it by tradition. On one of the islands there are as 
many as a hundred caves, in one of which there is a 
big statue of Buddha and a few other small statues. 

Knowing that the prehistoric inhabitants of Japan 
lived in caves, one can imagine that this was one of 
their settlements and that the lanterns and Buddhist 
statues came later, when the Buddhist monasteries 



The Land of the Rising Sun 201 

were built in these places. The temple in which we 
passed the night was quite large, and built like all 
Japanese temples, of wood, decorated with a profu- 
sion of gold lacquer, carving, and multicolored 
lanterns ; but all that and the paper screens did not 
keep us warm that night, as the thermometer stood 
at 7 R. Outside the temple are placed large boards 
with the names of all those who give donations to 
the temple. 

There are many visitors, sometimes four hundred 
a day. We were shown all sorts of things, among 
others gold hair sent from India. There was also 
a present made to the high priest in Matsushima for 
extinguishing a fire in Kyoto, some hundreds of 
kilometers away, by pouring water on a certain spot 
in Matsushima ; and the priest told us about it cjuite 
seriously. In the niche behind the altar there is a 
wooden statue, a realistic reproduction of Date Ma- 
samune, the ancestor of the Sendai daimios and the 
founder of this temple. It is interesting, as the daimio 
is represented in the warlike apparel of the time. Next 
to him, sitting on a chair, is a life-like figure of Hiku 
San, celebrated for his literary work. In another 
room, in niches, there are statues of the wife and 
daughter of Date Masamune. The floor was strewn 
with copper and silver money, offerings of the 
worshippers. 

It is a beautiful trip by boat from Matsushima to 
Shiogama. The sea is quiet and smooth, as if 
enchanted. Thousands of small green islands are 
cast on its surface with a generous hand ; the sky is 
clear blue and the air invigorating. Sendai, the 
former residence of the daimio Date-Mutsu-no- 



202 The Land of the Rising Sun 

Kami, is at present the capital of the province and 
the seat of administration. The principal sight is 
the Sendai castle, occupied now by the troops. In 
order to see it I paid a visit to the general of division, 
who received us very cordially in his house, which 
is half European and half Japanese. The walls are 
bare, but there are carpets and chairs in the room. 
As is the custom, we were offered tea and sweets, 
weak coffee, and pears harder than rocks. The 
castle is on a mountain covered with vegetation. 
Palms and bamboo, a great rarity in the north, are 
seen. Judging by the thickness of the walls, the 
vastness of its citadel, and the high and beautiful 
position of the castle, it must have produced in the 
olden times a most imposing effect, as did the castles 
on the Rhine. Looking at it I realized that I had 
visited Japan too late. I should like to have seen 
this castle, for instance, in the olden time when it 
was filled with retainers and warriors ready at any 
moment to die for their master. Date Masamune, 
as we know, was the daimio, who sent the deputa- 
tion to Rome, and the presents which the Pope sent 
to him are shown to the visitor. In Sendai there 
is a permanent exhibition of local products. There 
I met the English consul and his wife, and together 
we went to Fukushima. The weather was bad and 
the pouring rain made us draw close the covers of 
our jinrikshas, so we saw nothing of the beautiful 
road. Only as we approached Fukushima did the 
rain stop and we could enjoy the scenery, which 
in many places reminded me of the road from 
Simpheropol to Yalta. In Fukushima a large and 
comfortable house was put at our disposal. Traveling 



The Land of the Rising Sun 203 

in Japan with ladies is sometimes very embarrassing, 
as the Japanese do not understand European modesty. 
The kurumayas are not in the least constrained by 
the presence of ladies, and as freely as horses they 
will attend to the wants of nature on a long trip. 
When the wife of the English consul was taking her 
bath, in walked the man of the house, quite uncon- 
cernedly; and the mistress of the house put all our 
beds in one room, as if there were not rooms to 
spare. Once when we were going in great company 
from Tokyo to Yokohama, a Japanese, who is now 
a minister in one of the European capitals and who 
then occupied a high position in the Foreign Office, 
was traveling with his wife and child. The child 
began fretting, and instead of taking it to the retiring- 
room, the Japanese papa held it in a certain position 
while it relieved itself on the carpet of the car. 

What can I say about Nikko, when it has been 
praised from every possible point of view. It is not 
in vain that the Japanese say that he who has not seen 
Nikko has missed seeing something wonderful. For 
myself, I must say, that coming to Japan after having 
seen the mighty buildings, in stone and marble, of 
the Hindus, of whom they say that they built like 
giants and decorated like jewelers, I involuntarily 
compared them with Japanese buildings and was not 
impressed by the wooden temples of Japan. 

I must admit, however, that the mausoleums of 
the Shogun l3^eyasu and others in Nikko surpass by 
their magnificence, richness and luxury all else in 
Japan, I will not dwell on all the treasures of 
Nikko ; on the sculptures of Hidari Jingoro ; on the 
stone lanterns, torii, which were given by such a 



204 The Land of the Rising Sun 

daimio; on the beautiful carvings of the ceiHngs; 
enamel, bronzes, mother-of-pearl de'corations ; the 
silk materials, drawings, and bells of the many- 
storied pagodas. The Japanese genius showed itself 
in the selection of spots for these wonderful mauso- 
leums. I have seen many mausoleums perhaps in 
themselves more magnificent, but for surroundings 
the palm must be given to Japan. They possess the 
art of preparing you for a certain impression. 

Nikko is in the midst of mountains. Every step 
is an ascent, terraces are piled on terraces, endless 
staircases lead seemingly to heaven, and on the way 
you admire magnificent temples which have no 
equals. But this is not all. Going ever higher and 
higher, nature assumes an aspect austere and sombre, 
and century-old cedars impress with quiet sorrow, 
until in the midst of silence, only broken by the sound 
of the distant waterfall, rest the ashes of the great 
Shogun. All is simplicity, grandeur, and solemnity ; 
no gilded decorations, no splendor, only a gigantic 
tomb of stone and bronze warns the coming genera- 
tions of the vanity of all that is earthly. 



I 



Chapter XIX 

In the mountains of Japan — European Olympia — Pilgrims to 
Chiuzenji — Through the mountains on foot — The joyful 
town — Ascent of the volcano Asama Yama — Miyanoshita — 
With the Japanese pilgrims to the holy mountain. 

In the summer, when Tokyo is steeped in heat, all 
who possibly can, fly from the dust and oppressive- 
ness of the capital. The Japanese ministers seek the 
quiet of the seashore at Oiso, at Ikao, or Shibu. The 
missionaries have chosen Karuisawa with its fresh 
air and its high position above the sea level ; the 
diplomats go to Olympia, — pardon, I should say 
Chiuzenji, — three hours by jinriksha from the 
famous Nikko. Nikko with its temples is already 
high in the mountains, but to reach Chiuzenji (4.375 
feet above the level of the sea) you must climb three 
hours and a half farther by an awful road, so that 
the kurumayas drawing the little jinrikshas are quite 
exhausted from fatigue, and keep encouraging them- 
selves by loud cries. The endurance of these people 
is wonderful. Others would at least curse their fate, 
but these laugh at every hardship. The scenery is 
wonderfully grand — huge, steep rocks alternate with 
green hills, dotted with bouquets of bright colors. 
Suddenly a torrent rushes through a gorge, tumbling 
noisily, and tossing its spray over the great rocks. 
Several primitive bridges span this bubbling, gurg- 
ling stream, and in other places the road winds 



206 The Land of the Rising Sun 

through the narrow cut of the mountain. Water 
falHng from the heights above soaks the road in 
places, which is continually mended without visible 
results, as during the rainy season this road is con- 
sidered very dangerous, and very often communica- 
tion is entirely interrupted. 

Farther up on the pinkish background of con- 
gealed lava gleams a silver waterfall, then disappears 
into the green depths of the forest. At every turn 
a new picture presents itself, one more beautiful than 
the other, and with what a variety of colors, shading 
into the all-enveloping green of the mountain tops. 
In the evening light the whole world appears of a 
magic brilliancy. Purple, violet, and gold spans of 
light stretch across the cuts in the mountains and 
sink into the deepening foliage. Farther along and 
we come into the region of the white birch trees, 
another ascent and we are in a beautiful park; there 
lies a lake, around which are several pretty Japanese 
houses. The lake Chiuzenji (seven and a half miles 
long and two and a half across) is of volcanic forma- 
tion, of pure, clear water, with abruptly cut shores. 
All the country is of volcanic origin, and many think 
that the center of this volcanic action was the lake 
of Chiuzenji itself, which in form reminds one of the 
crater of a volcano. 

Farther along the road we come to a Japanese 
village, or properly speaking, a whole row of Japan- 
ese hotels and a temple. Not far from here are the 
villas of the diplomats, and in a small space congre- 
gate all the representatives of Europe and America. 

Far from political cares, they rest in the quiet and 
freshness of the mountains, walking, boating, and 



The Land of the Rising Sun 207 

arranging picnics and dinners. There is a telegraph 
station, and the mail arrives every day, under favor- 
able circumstances, of course; for when it rains very 
hard the post cannot get through and v^^hen it is 
especially necessary the telegraph does not work. 
But how about politics, and ministerial crises — how 
do they get along without the diplomats, who are 
shut up on their Olympia ? 

Do not let us dwell longer on the Europeans, as 
it is the Japanese that we have come to see. I have 
just spoken about the Japanese hotels, all of which 
are on the border of the lake, not far from the temple. 
All summer they are besieged by tourists, but the real 
life begins about the third of August, when Chiuzenji 
is visited by thousands of pilgrims. Then the hotels 
run over, and the visitors are crowded into big barns, 
which are closed at other seasons. These belong to 
the temple, which receives a good income from the 
pilgrims who desire to ascend the holy mountain of 
Nantai San. The road from Nikko to Chiuzenji is 
thronged with them, dressed in coarse white linen, 
or common bag stuff, which they never change 
during the whole of the pilgrimage; but every hotel 
supplies clean bath-robes for its guests, and the 
Japanese always sit in them after their evening bath. 
Every pilgrim wears a straw hat, costing one or two 
cents, and carries on his shoulder a piece of matting, 
and in his hand a long staff, to which is attached 
strips of paper (gohei) and a gong or small bell, 
which he rings when invoking the name of Buddha. 
On their feet they wear ordinary straw sandals 
(waraji), which are very convenient for climbing 
the mountain. They are for sale at every little shop 



208 The Land of the Rising Sun 

or tea-house, and can be renewed whenever neces- 
sary. Therefore, during the pilgrimage the whole 
road from Nikko to Chiuzenji is strewn with these 
cast-off sandals. The pilgrims carry on their backs 
boxes in the shape of Buddhist temples, containing 
their clothes and food ; besides which, every pilgrim 
has a book in which the priest of the temple he visits 
signs his name, adding his seal. Thus the Japanese 
pilgrims easily travel hundreds of miles and feel no 
fatigue or discomfort. Among them there are many 
of the higher classes, but on the road they are not 
distinguishable from their more humble companions. 
The pilgrimages are various. Some consist in visit- 
ing thirty-three temples of Kwannon, the goddess of 
mercy, or eighty-eight temples of Kobodaisi, a Budd- 
hist saint, the founder of the Singon sect and the 
inventor of Japanese writing. However, that is 
nothing in comparison with Seigadzi, which pilgrim- 
age consists of visiting a thousand temples belonging 
to the sect of Nichireh. 

During the three days of August when the pil- 
grimage is at its height the hotels make great sums 
of money. With great dijOEiculty I secured a small 
corner for three dollars a day, the host considering 
that he was doing me a great favor; and he was 
right, as every room could hold thirty and forty 
pilgrims, who, although paying a small amount each 
(30 to 40 sen) were more profitable than a foreigner. 

On returning to the hotel that evening I found 
the market-place white with people, who, not finding 
shelter in the hotels were camping in the square, or 
in the barns used for the pilgrims, and where they 
have only to pay for the wood used in cooking their 



The Land of the Rising Sun 209 

food. Thanks to this system, even the poorest 
laborer can take a hohday and travel in Japan, and 
at a season when the rice does not demand their care 
thousands go on excursions. The square was hghted 
by thousands of lanterns, torches, and bonfires, and 
like mushrooms small shops had sprung up, trading 
in all sorts of things, while to cheer up the pilgrims 
there were story-tellers, marionettes, dioramas and 
theatres. 

To reach my small room was a difficult matter, 
as the lower part of the house and the corridors were 
filled with sleeping bodies, and one had to pick one's 
way to avoid stepping on a pilgrim's head. Not all 
were sleeping, however, for in the second story some 
were already preparing for the ascent of the holy 
mountain, and to fortify themselves were indulging 
in food and sake; others were bathing in the cold 
waters of the lake (remember, it was midnight). 
The bathers were singing, shrieking, and making the 
night hideous with noises, as if they were burning on 
slow fires. You can easily imagine the chaos reign- 
ing in the hotel, with only paper screens separating 
one room from the other. The host and hostess, 
with repeated bows, were begging pardon for the 
disturbance. Sleep was out of the question, but the 
scene was so full of interest that I quietly awaited 
the departure of the pilgrims. Finally they are 
ready, and with staffs and torches they repair to the 
temple, where they have already taken tickets and 
paid a certain sum for the right to make the ascent. 
The massive gates of the temple slowly open and the 
crowd files out and up, until the whole mountain 
seems to be wound around and around with a ribbon 



210 The Land of the Rising Sun 

of fire. Arriving at the top they await the sunrise, 
say prayers, then start back. After the departure 
of the pilgrims, at two o'clock in the morning, quiet 
reigns in the hotel, until five or seven, when the 
pilgrims return to breakfast before their final depart- 
ure. When I came out of my room in the morning 
the house had been put in order, the straw sandals 
had been collected into piles and burned, the floors 
downstairs were shining, and you could not imagine 
that hundreds of people had passed the night there. 

On this day the Heir Apparent visited Chiuzenji 
with his suite. They came in jinrikshas, the prince 
dressed in a morning coat and a derby, his suite in 
frock coats and high hats, though the heat was in- 
tense. The prince lived in a temple, and there illumi- 
nations and fireworks were given in his honor. 

The environments of Chiuzenji are beautiful, but 
the most beautiful is the walk to Yumoto, from where 
one can reach a magnificent cascade, and farther are 
two lakes. Yumoto itself is on the shore of a beau- 
tiful lake, the waters of which are white from the 
sulphur springs. There is not a house in the village 
which is not a hotel, or a bath, where old and young 
men, women and children bathe together. 

This walk was a prelude to a long excursion on 
foot through the mountains. The weather was not 
promising, as dark clouds were banked over against 
Ashio, toward which we wxre turned. Besides the 
carriers with our things and provisions we took a 
cook, and the ascent as far as Ashio toge was not 
difficult. The descent by slippery and precipitous 
paths was not very agreeable. I could not get good 
foot-gear, and envied my companion in his Persian 



The Land of the Rising Sun 211 

slippers for mountain climbing. Soon began a very- 
dangerous part of the road, on one side straight walls 
of rock, and on the other side steep, precipitous 
ravines — the least misstep and you would be precip- 
itated hundreds of feet below. The earth was soft, 
and crumbled beneath your feet. The Japanese 
themselves call these paths "oya shiradzu, ko shir- 
adzu" ; that is, "the children forget their parents, the 
parents their children," thinking of their own 
safety — and under such circumstances it is difficult 
to appreciate the beauty of the landscape. As we 
arrived very late at Ashio, we saw the mines, and 
then continued our way to Sori. The road is good, 
as it lies along the line of the track from the mines. 
On the right the river dances between high white 
rocks. Rain began, and did not cease until we 
reached Sori. You can easily imagine our delight 
at sight of the hotel, where we donned the comfort- 
able "yukata" and lay down to rest on soft matting. 
The next day, passing through a village, we noticed a 
policeman, who, quickly buckling on his sword, ran 
after us, wishing to accompany us for our safety ; but 
we thanked him, begging him not to trouble himself, 
and he left us to our fate, with a parting recommenda- 
tion to our guides to take great care of our valuable 
persons. The road was difficult and fatiguing, but 
not dangerous, and we finally arrived at the summit, 
wdiich is covered with low bushes and brambles, and 
where there is a lake, and a temple to the saint Akagi 
San. There is, besides the temple, but one primitive 
inn, consisting of one large room, where all the visit- 
ors, the masters of the house, the servants, and all 
the coolies are lodged together ; also the Shinto priest 



212 The Land of the Rising Sun 

of the temple. The hearth for preparing the food is 
in the same room, and the smoke fills all the space. 
Comfort was not to be expected in such a place, but 
in the evening we received wadded mattresses, which 
we proceeded to cover with clouds of insect powder, 
and we lay down to sleep. The flickering lamp 
showed dimly a dozen or more human bundles cover- 
ing the floor, and from many corners came the sound 
of snoring. On the following day we lost our way 
in the mountains, and only after many difliculties 
arrived at Shibu kawa in the evening, from which 
place we took jinrikshas to Ikao, which is 2,700 feet 
above sea level. Our kurumayas had a hard pull to 
get us up the mountain, while we enjoyed the beauti- 
ful scenery. But there is so much beautiful scenery 
that one feels at moments satiated, and— -oh, shame ! 
— I went to sleep rocked by the gentle swaying of the 
jinriksha, and only opened my eyes on arrival before 
a pretty tea-house. The women servants, on their 
knees, with low bows to the floor, welcomed us, and 
begged us to rest. The mattings were irreproachably 
clean, the screens or sliding walls were new, with 
pretty paintings, and on the floor a Japanese girl, in a 
charming pose, was sleeping. Our kurumayas had 
run out to the well, and, stripping themselves before 
every one, were calmly washing themselves — a genre 
picture which is seen at every step in Japan. 

Reaching Ikao, we found all the hotels full, but 
after a long harangue beds were brought into a bil- 
liard-room, and screens divided us from the street. 
Ikao is celebrated for its springs, and has quite an 
original appearance. It has one large street, with 
several side streets leading from it ; or, more properly 



The Land of the Rising Sun 213 

speaking, several staircases leading up to a temple. 
In the evening they are all lighted up with hundreds 
of fires. The shops are filled with all sorts of eat- 
ables, wooden articles and curios, and on the stair- 
cases is thronging a gay crowd, contented with life 
and dressed in light bath-robes. Although Ikao is 
counted a health resort, the Japanese look upon it as 
a pleasure resort. Therefore there are many visitors 
who pass their time drinking, banqueting, listening 
to geishas, and living quite sans gene. Here states- 
men forget their wives, families, and their political 
cares, and give themselves up to pleasure and de- 
bauchery like the commonest mortals. On all sides 
are heard the sounds of the ama, or massagist's flute, 
Japanese music, and the songs of geishas. Farther 
on the whole crowd masses to see the fireworks sent 
off for the special pleasure of some rich Japanese. 

From Ikao we went to Shibukawa, from where a 
horse car took us to Maye bashi, where I separated 
from my companion and went to Karuisawa. The 
road across Usuitoge is one of grand beauty. There 
are tunnels without number, and as the train issues 
from them it literally hangs over terrible precipices, 
while a magnificent view stretches over far-away 
mountains and valleys. Yet there are people who 
speak of "plaything Japan." They can never have 
seen beyond the neighborhood of Yokohama. 

Karuisawa is in a kettle, surrounded by moun- 
tains, and a good distance from the railway station. 
It should be called Missionopolis, as so many mis- 
sionaries live there. The streets are full of children, 
riding donkeys or in little carriages, or buying toys 
and sweets. Behind the long street which composes 



214 The Land of the Rising Sun 

the village are cottages surrounded by gardens, laid 
out in great style. When I was there the inhabitants 
of Karuisawa were in a state of panic on account of 
several cases of cholera, which had not spared even 
Europeans. The value of Karuisawa fell in the mar- 
ket and the papers were filled with discussions as to 
whether the place was healthy or not. I came, not 
for rest, nor to breathe the pure mountain air, but to 
make the ascent of the active volcano Asama Yama, 
Profiting by the freshness of the night, we started 
on horseback, accompanied by guides with lanterns. 
We soon lost our way, and at midnight the guide was 
still hunting for the path which led to the volcano. 
For the actual ascent we had to leave our horses and 
proceed on foot, sinking at every step in the porous 
ground, which was covered with ashes. All traces 
of vegetation cease, except here and there a small 
bush called poligonum. We passed on the road a 
few sleeping pilgrims, who, awakening and seeing us, 
arose and continued their route. At daybreak we 
extinguished our lanterns and went on courageously 
toward the top. Little by little the dark red mass of 
the volcano loomed before us, and below us surged 
a milky sea of clouds. Suddenly the light pierced 
the clouds, and below us stretched a view over hun- 
dreds of miles, with the cone of Fuji Yama rising in 
the distance. Pilgrims, as the sun rose, bowed their 
heads, clapped their hands and prayed. Two hun- 
dred steps more, and we were at the mouth of the 
crater ( 1233 feet across and 750 feet deep), from the 
depths of which thick smoke poured out with a tre- 
mendous noise. In 1783 the north side of the crater 
sank one hundred and fifty feet. This eruption de- 



The Land of the Rising Sun 215 

stroyed hundreds of towns and villages and killed 
many people, turning- a great stretch of land into a 
desert. Even in Tokyo the ashes were about an inch 
deep, and twenty miles from the mountain they lay 
four feet deep. Rocks from fifty to eighty feet hieh 
were thrown great distances with tremendous force. 
There were rocks which measured from 120 to 264 
feet. One of these fell into the river, and forms an 
island. The noise of the eruption was heard as far 
as Omi and Ise (190 to 200 miles). The walls of 
the crater fall perpendicularly, with spouts of steam 
issuing- at various points. Looking into it one is re- 
minded of pictures of Dante's "Inferno." The rocks 
at the sides of the crater take the strangest forms. 
One sees castles, towers, and human figures, which 
the Japanese insist are demons. I proceeded to make 
the tour of the crater, and the sight was sublimely 
terrible. I hastened to reach a spot where there is 
a great rift, and at that moment Asama Yama, angry 
at such presumption, I suppose, threw up clouds of 
biting smoke, choking us with the odor of sulphur. 
There was only one thing to be done, and that was 
to run for our lives. There have been people so 
overcome by this smoke that they have never found 
their way out. We hastened as fast as we could, 
our guides sliding, as on an ice hill, soon reaching the 
place where we had left our horses. In spite of the 
protests of the grooms, we galloped back to Karui- 
sawa, where we arrived at eleven o'clock, and, after 
such a night, I threw myself on a couch and slept 
soundly until dinner. 

On the following day I took the train to Toyono, 
and from there continued my road by jinriksha to 



216 The Land of the Rising Sun 

Shibu, which is known as the paradise of Japan. 
Excepting for its original situation, perched Hke a 
swallow's nest on a rock, there was nothing extra- 
ordinary about it. 

Who has been tO' Japan and not heard of the won- 
ders of Miyanoshita, which, thanks to its beautiful 
situation in the mountains, and its mineral springs, 
is one of the favorite resorts of the public. A large, 
comfortable hotel, arranged in European style, is a 
great inducement to people to escape the heat in sum- 
mer, and in winter there are many people who live 
there, taking advantage of the hot baths and pleasant 
walks. Miyanoshita is also known for its wood 
mosaic work. There are numerous walks about 
here. If one does not care to walk, one can hire a 
chair on two- long poles, carried by four carriers. 
Before leaving Miyanoshita you must visit O Jigoku, 
or Great Hell, as it is called. There is also a Small 
Hell, called Ko-Jigoku, on the road from Miyano- 
shita to Asinoyu, with strong sulphur springs. The 
whole place is covered with vegetation, but the still- 
ness of the woods is rarely broken by the song of the 
birds. The guide tells me that there are in the vicin- 
ity foxes, badgers, wild boars, deer and monkeys. 
After a long walk over the mountains the disappear- 
ance of the trees and the strong smell of sulphur 
warned us that we were approaching the hell. Black 
rocks and the yellow, incrusted earth, showed the 
volcanic origin ol all this region. A very narrow 
path led among these red and yellow-covered stones, 
which were strewn about in disorder, and from which 
spouted forth streams of yellow, boiling liquid. 
Farther on these geysers become larger, and one is 



The Land of the Rising Sun 217 

really walking on a volcano. All the thin crust of 
earth is undermined, and you need only stick your 
cane in the earth and a stream of boiling hquid spouts 
out; while in some places the thin crust has disap- 
peared, and before you is a pool seething with a 
mass of black and yellow liquid, steaming and spout- 
ing. A careless step, and you will be boiled alive. 
It has happened that travelers have disappeared in 
this molten lake, or have be^n so scalded that their 
limbs had to be amputated. The inhabitants of this 
region gather very much sulphur and slide it down, 
in straw bags, on a wire, to a village below, from 
where it is sent farther on pack horses. 

On the following day I decided to go with some 
friends to Atami, but our excursion was spoiled by 
the rain, which came down in torrents, and only 
stopped when we reached Hakone, with its deep lake, 
surrounded by steep shores. In Hakone there is a 
palace where the Emperor stays sometimes, and a 
few villas which are rented for the summer. 

The weather was merciful to us as we came to the 
luxuriant valley of Atami. Lying on the coast, and 
protected from the north winds by mountains, Atami 
is called the Riviera of Japan. There are hot springs 
and a geyser, which spouts up to a considerable 
height six times a day. The following day we went 
to Odawara in a horsecar, only, instead of horses to 
draw it, there were men. The road following the 
coast sometimes ascends the mountain, sometimes 
drops to the water's edge. It is really dangerous at 
times, as the men, using all their strength, push the 
car uphill, then, jumping on, they let it roll down the 
steep grades. Of course the speed increases at every 



218 The Land of the Rising Sun 

turn of the wheel, and several times our little car left 
the track, which would have been disastrous had it 
been rounding one of the precipices which fall per- 
pendicularly to> the sea. Many such accidents have 
happened, and people have been killed owing to the 
carelessness and foolhardiness of these coolies. 

A pilgrimage to the sacred mountain of Japan, 
the Fuji San, is the dearest wish of a Japanese heart. 
It is the highest mountain of Japan (13,000 feet), 
and a legend says that Fuji appeared in one night 
like the renowned lake of Biwa, and this happened 
in the time of Alexander the Great. There is a tem- 
ple erected on the top of the mountain, and there is a 
particular god of the crater. Until the fourteenth 
century Fuji San was smoking. The last eruption 
was in 1707, when, it is said, there appeared a hump 
on one side of the cone, but this small defect is only 
noticed at close range. The best time for the ascent 
is from the 15th of June to the 15th of September. 
My companion on this trip was my teacher of Jap- 
anese, and we started on horseback at five o'clock in 
the afternoon for the station of Tarobo. On the way 
our horses were frightened by the shrieks of the 
crowd watching some wrestlers. The road lies 
through gardens and groves, with the dark blue cone 
of Fuji San looming ever before us. Our horses, in 
spite of urging, went at a walk, and stopped before 
every tea-house, where the grooms washed the horses' 
mouths, and invariably took tea. This beverage was 
also offered to us in small cups. 

Not far from Tarobo we had to dismount and walk 
the rest of the way through loose ashes. All the 
surrounding country is, of course, of volcanic origin, 



The Land of the Rising Sun 219 

which spreads to a distance of 120 miles and more. 
Cultivated land on the mountain reaches a line 1,500 
feet high, then a marshy stretch reaches 4,000 feet, 
after which there are forests of distorted trees. At 
Tarobo the traveler generally secures a long staff, on 
which the priest of Fuji Yama puts the seal of the 
temple. These staffs are guarded as holy objects in 
Japanese families. For the comfort of pilgrims the 
road is divided into ten stations, called sho, or go, 
which means vase in which rice is measured. At the 
spot where we dismounted absolute silence reigned — 
not a note of a bird was heard ; and only shrubs were 
to be seen, such as Juniper vaciniim and lichen. 
Torrents had cut through the masses of lava in 
different places. Our guides kept calling, "There 
is a station," to encourage us, and we approach it 
joyfully, but we find the most forlorn of human hab- 
itations — a sort of hut built of great chunks of black 
and red lava, stuck so far into the mountain that only 
the front is visible. The roof projects only a short 
distance, and is covered with a pile of huge rocks, 
which protect it from the terrible storms which sweep 
the heights of Fuji San. The earth is piled up be- 
fore the entrance so that one has to creep in as into a 
cave. Inside, mattings are strewn on the floor ; there 
is a hearth, but no escape for the smoke. From the 
15th of June to the 15th of September there is a man 
in each of these little stations who dispenses tea; and 
you can also get egg'S, and a very primitive Japanese 
dinner. Provisions are kept there, for it is the only 
refuge in case of storms, and at times the pilgrims 
are imprisoned in these stations for two or three 
days. Arriving at the first station, we found a large 



220 The Land of the Rising Sun 

company of pilgrims in white garments. Some were 
reclining on quilts, some were eating, or preparing 
for the ascent ; some were singing a song to^ the glory 
of Fuji, or murmuring prayers. The farther we as- 
cended, the more difficult the road became, and my 
companion, who was accustomed to a sedentary life, 
was soon exhausted, so that my cook, who was not at 
all tired, put his hand on his back and pushed him 
along. Our coolies also frequently sat down to 
catch their breath. The sixth station was already 
10,000 feet high, and many feel the height very much. 
Frequently people feel a sensation, as of sea-sickness, 
or have nosebleed ; but I felt nothing, and in spite of 
fatigue and the desire of the coolies to stop at the 
station, we went on. It was already half-past three, 
when I decided to stop, and, cleaning a corner of 
matting and spreading a quilt, I took my plaids for a 
pillow and dropped to sleep. When I awakened and 
wished to wash, the water was frozen, and my fingers 
were aching with cold. From the eighth to the 
tenth station every step was a struggle, almost on 
hands and knees, from rock to rock. Morning 
broke, and the eastern horizon flamed with the com- 
ing day. Pink and gold rays of sunlight pierced the 
fog, illumined the heights, and penetrated the valleys. 
At our feet lay the beautiful Yamanaka Lake, look- 
ing like molten steel ; Oshima, and the coast as far as 
Misashi ; and on the right rose the heights of Hak- 
one, green shores and the endless stretch of the sea. 
But instead of the purely cut white cone, the sun 
shone on an ugly mass of indentures and crevasses 
formed by the volcano. At the very top is the little 
temple. A few steps, and the crater opens before us 



The Land of the Rising Sun 221 

like a gigantic cup or bowl, half a mile broad and 700 
feet deep. Just then the pilgrims began to be un- 
easy, saying they must hurry down to escape the dan- 
ger of being caught in the rising fog. My cook had 
time to run to the temple and purchase a talisman 
from the priest to take to his wife. The fog lifted, 
but the wind blew such a gale that the priest refused 
us the permission to enter the crater, and for my part 
I was very glad. 

The descent was very much easier, especially slid- 
ing on the ashes. We reached Gotemba, and found 
the hotel filled with pilgrims and people getting ready 
for the fete (matsuri) at Yoshida. It is difficult to 
find quiet in a Japanese hotel with its paper parti- 
tions, where every sound is heard by the neighbors, 
and nearly all is seen through the cracks. Upon this 
occasion our neighbors were particularly noisy, as 
they were pilgrims of the higher class, and their 
dining was accompanied by toasts and the speech of 
the president of their society, who was praising the 
exploit of climbing Fuji Yama. Then the whole 
company intoned a chant in honor of Fuji. The 
prayer was like a murmur, broken by sudden wild 
cries, and was certainly not melodious. 

From Gotemba we drove to Yoshida in a carriage, 
by a very bad road, and, passing a beautiful lake, 
our driver told us that a spirit inhabited the lake, and 
that Japanese were afraid to go near it at night for 
fear of being drawn into the water. In Yoshida the 
streets were full of people, and the little booths had 
toys and sweets and small articles for sale, and at 
every ten steps were piles of wood seven feet or more 
high. In other places great wooden columns of 20 



222 The Land of the Rising Sun 

feet were prepared, and in the evening-, when all these 
piles and columns were set burning, it made a most 
original illumination, to say nothing of thousands of 
lanterns. The festival is called "hi" matsuri, or fire 
matsuri, and as these colossal torches and piles are 
very near the houses, great care must be taken to 
prevent a general conflagration. Water is poured 
on the roofs of the houses, and the fire department 
is always ready for active service. In Kodachi, on 
the shores of a pretty lake, we met a tremendous 
number of children. While waiting for the boat I 
went to visit a temple, where some very fine draw- 
ings on the sliding walls are preserved, and some 
very good carving in wood. 

Across the lake, which is deep, and in which are 
large islands, we stopped at Isinoumi, where there is 
no hotel, and where we put up in the first house we 
came to, much to the discomfort of the host. On 
account of the mosquitoes every Japanese house has 
its big net made of grass, and colored dark green, 
which takes up nearly the whole room, and under 
which the whole family finds shelter. In this hum- 
ble fisherman's hut I found a number of rich lac- 
quered screens which would have delighted lovers 
of Japanese art. The journey had tO' be continued 
on foot through the pouring rain, and it continued to 
stream until we arrived at Lake Sedzi. On the 
opposite shore stood a real European house, built by 
an Englishman, who became a Japanese subject and 
adopted a Japanese name. My coolies and cook 
nearly burst their lungs hallooing "Hosino San." 
Soon we saw a boat put off from the white house. 
It was the master himself, who with difficulty seated 



r 



The Land of the Rising Sun 223 

us in his small shell and rowed us back. The lake is 
beautiful, nestled in among mountains covered with 
forests, and is very deep and perfectly clear. Straight 
in front of us rose the white cone of Fuji San, but, 
better than all, I had found at last a European house 
with real beds and some comforts of European life. 
I thought only of rest and quiet after my long wan- 
derings. Toward evening a great storm swept over 
the place, and as the house was built on an exposed 
promontory, it got the full brunt of it. It was im- 
possible to sleep, to say nothing' of the ravages made 
by wind and rain. The rest of my journey was ac- 
complished with great difficulty on foot, on account 
of swollen streams and almost impassable roads. 
But I finished this trip by a boat ride through the 
rapids of Fujikawa, and there were moments when 
we were in great danger of being upset into the 
whirlpool of this boiling river. 



IN SOUTHERN JAPAN. 
Chapter XX 

The role of Nagasaki in Japan's enlightenment — European 
settlement — Arrival of the Prime Minister — ^Japanese 
auction. 

The Inland Sea, celebrated for Its beauty, begins 
from Kobe. On a still, bright sunny day, when the 
sea, sparkling like diamonds, softly laps the shore, 
one can easily imagine it a broad, quiet river. A 
countless mass of islands, as in Matsushima, with 
their peculiar shapes, their vivid, succulent vegeta- 
tion, sprinkled over the blue, shining sea, smooth as 
glass, delight the eye. The English are right in 
speaking of it as a corner of paradise or the home 
of the fairies. Not fairies, however, but living, toil- 
ing humanity inhabit this peaceful region. Wher- 
ever the eye falls there is evidence of man's labor. 
All these islands are cultivated to the highest point 
and fields rise like terraces one above the other. 
Farther there is a village, clinging to the top of an 
island and almost buried in green, A great flotilla 
of junks fune (sailboats) glide and flit about like 
white butterflies over the blue waves. Approaching 
the shore, it seems suddenly to separate, and before 
you lies a blue lake, beyond it a second and a third, 
surrounded by gardens, fields, rocks, woods, and vil- 
lages. The eye never tires with the sight of this 



The Land of the Rising Sun 225 

variety and richness of nature. After passing sev- 
eral hours at Shimonoseki, we came out in the open 
sea. Then more islands, with steep, rocky sides. 
Here is Hirado, where Francis Xavier began 
preaching Christianity. Then wonderful basalt 
rocks in the form of a porte cochere. A little 
farther on we reach a beautiful bay ornamented with 
small islands, and here is Nagasaki, which during its 
long life has lived through many interesting events. 
In Nagasaki, if the reader remembers the historical 
sketch, first flourished Christianity. In the sixteenth 
century, when Christianity was uprooted from 
Japan, Nagasaki remained the last shelter of Eu- 
ropean civilization in the shape of the colony of 
Dutch in Dezima. In spite of strict surveillance 
over the so-called prisoners of Dezima it was impos- 
sible that some rays of European civilization should 
not reach the Japanese public. The Japanese bor- 
rowed, first of all, surgery and medicine. The pos- 
sessor of European books risked his head ; but there 
are always people who will take risks for something 
forbidden. In Nagasaki began the reform move- 
ment in Japan. In that time there were two parties, 
the conservative having its stronghold in Kyoto, and 
the progressive in Nagasaki. 

Ito Inouye saw in Nagasaki the folly of further 
resisting the European pressure. There Okuma, 
Goto, Itagaki and Mutsu, those well-known self- 
made men in Japanese histor}'-, began with all their 
strength to prepare the reform movement. In Nag- 
asaki, Iwasaki, who receives an income of millions, 
began his career. At the entrance of the Nagasaki 
bay lies a r^cky islg/id, Takaboko, or, as the Dutch 



226 The Land of the Rising Sun 

called it, Pappenberg. Legend says that from the 
high cliffs of the island the Catholic fathers and their 
followers were cast into the sea. At the present time 
it has lost its gruesome reputation, and the European 
society takes advantage of it as a picnic ground, and 
during the hot weather it is a favorite bathing place. 
Protected on all sides by high mountains, Nagasaki 
bay is a favorite of the sailors of all nations, and it 
leaves by its beauty a strong and ineffaceable impres- 
sion on the spectator. However beautiful a place is, 
it generally finishes by palling on one. It is not the 
case with Nagasaki — the longer one stays the more 
one is delighted with the fine outline of the moun- 
tains bordering the bay, the richness and succulence 
of the vegetation with its countless colors and shad- 
ings, with the changing sea, now gray and angry, 
now blue and caressing, or like a great cup of molten 
steel, then flooded with purple light by the setting 
sun. Thanks to the climate, the vegetation is lux- 
urious and rich in color. These are not the moun- 
tains of Greece, burnt by the sun, or of Sicily, but in 
every sense tropical, where nature is so full of life 
that it bursts all bonds and knows not how to spend 
its force. But this climate, alas, is not healthy, and 
is particularly bad in the rainy season. 

There is no necessity to speak of the European set- 
tlement, as it differs in no way from the European 
settlements in Kobe and Yokohama. The same 
villas, surrormded by gardens; European hotels, 
where the table is good; two clubs; a quay on 
which are situated all the offices, post, telegraph 
and steamship companies. There are saloons with 
pianos and stramonium; intoxicating stuff which 



The Land of the Rising Sun 227 

they put in the drinks for the sailors of all nations. 
Until the opening of Japan only the Dutch had the 
right to live in Dezima, and we know by Ksempfer 
in what wretched conditions they were held by the 
Japanese ; but since then all has changed, and Dezima 
is no more an island. The current of the river has 
been turned, the canal has been filled up, and in its 
place is a great square ; and even there are no more 
Dutch. Germans have taken their place in Naga- 
saki, and the last vestige of old Dezima is the Dezima 
bazaar, where they sell the Arima pottery. Not far 
from the European settlement is the Chinese quarter, 
distinguished for its filth, bad smells, and dirty in- 
habitants. The principal industry of Nagasaki is its 
tortoise-shell works. Everybody knows the tortoise- 
shell man Yesaki, who artistically works in tortoise 
shell models of ships, fune, junks, etc. The term 
"tortoise-shell man" is a literal translation of the 
Japanese, who like to give such surnames. Thus a 
man who was a photographer by trade was always 
known as "dog man," because he had had at one time 
a dog. 

The principal attraction for the naval officers is 
Inossa, a little village at the end of the bay, and 
every one who has read Pierre Loti knows Madame 
Chrysantheme. Like her, all these — Oyuki, Oya 
San, Aniwa San — look upon the matter quite prac- 
tically, from the money standpoint. Love does not 
enter into these family arrangements, and when A 
goes away, she says, "The king is dead ; long live the 
king," and goes over to B, and so on to C and D, until 
she is an old woman. Many of them save up a cap- 
ital, and if it is not too late they marry a peasant, a 



228 The Land of the Rising Sun 

small tradesman, or an innkeeper. Then, according 
to Japanese custom, they blacken their teeth, shave 
their brows, and become respectable mothers of fam- 
ilies. Sometimes they are mothers before, but very 
seldom. It is curious how the idea is general in 
Europe that in Japan one can marry for a certain 
term, say a month. But this is one of the many 
fables which I must refute as a great mistake. Even 
the hero of Pierre Loti says, 'T am going to marry." 
These ladies, or, as they are called, "officers' wives," 
are simply "mekake," or concubines, and are recog- 
nized as such by the Japanese authorities. Such 
women can be had for a term from any street in 
Europe, and one need not go to Japan to find them. 
But the manners of this class are so refined that they 
give the impression of being quite comme il faut. 
As for marriage as it is understood by the Japanese, 
we will speak of it later. 

Soon after my arrival I was one of the guests at a 
reception tendered to Count Ito. The public garden, 
celebrated for its gigantic camphor trees, was il- 
luminated with Japanese lanterns. Apropos, let me 
say a word about the camphor trees and the way the 
camphor is extracted from them. The wood of the 
tree is cut in small pieces and boiled in water. When 
it is cold the crystal formation on the top is cam- 
phor. The roots of the old trees are the richest in 
camphor, and bring great prices. To return to the 
reception. The terraces and paths were filled with 
a gay crowd. In one of the booths, near a stone 
which stands there in commemoration of General 
Grant's visit, a small theatre had been arranged, and 
geishas amused the public with dance and song. In 



The Land of the Rising Sun 229 

the Koshinkwan (house of friendship) the crowd 
was different, Europeans and Japanese in evening 
dress and naval officers in uniform were looking at 
the lions of the evening, Count Ito, the Prime Min- 
ister, and the Minister of War, Count Oyama, who, 
on their part, were shyly gazing back at the elegant 
crowd, shifting from one foot to the other. On the 
faces of most of those who looked curiously at the 
small, timid-looking figure of the Prime Minister, 
one could read plainly the thought, "Is it possible 
that this shy-looking man is one of the principal 
actors in this great revolution ? Is it possible that he 
assisted the downfall of feudalism and made the 
Constitution?" The British consul made a short 
speech in the name of the Europeans. Count Ito 
replied in English. His voice trembled at first, but 
afterwards he made a tolerably good speech, after 
which reigned silence; no one seemed to know what 
to do ; however, a supper and ball brought the even- 
ing to a successful close. Soon after I was invited 
by several of the officers of the visiting squadron to 
make an excursion on foot to the waterfall. We de- 
cided to take jinrikshas through the town, but we 
were to make the rest of the way on foot, the jinrik- 
shas following. In spite of its being the month of 
December, the sun broiled mercilessly, and the climb 
up the mountain was so fatiguing that we were 
obliged to take a rest. The heights are so covered 
with fields or groves of camelia trees, magnolias, 
great masses of flowers, and the slender, graceful 
bamboo, with its fresh green, beautiful fan-like 
palms, that one is oblivious of the fact that there is 
winter with snow and frost in other parts of the 
world. We continued our route, not by the good 



230 The Land of the Rising Sun 

highway, but, taking a short cut through an old 
path, we could judge of the roads of Japan before 
the restoration. The feudal lords left them ex- 
pressly in such bad condition as a means of protec- 
tion for themselves. Descending by paths like great, 
rocky staircases, we reached a village in which lived 
a former mousme of one of the officers. Now she 
was married to a Japanese and the mother of a large 
family. In spite of her blackened teeth and shaved 
eyebrows, she was nice looking, and according to 
Japanese custom we took tea before continuing our 
journey. From the foot of the mountain, at the 
village of Himi, there is a yiew out over the dark 
blue bay. Several of us were already tired, and the 
captain of the Vestnik grumblingly dragged behind. 
"Leave him alone," said the others; "we have the 
beer, and he will follow." Near the waterfall we 
found the inevitable small temple with the mon- 
strous-looking guardian gods, the Japanese Gog and 
Magog. We sat long on the terrace of the bonzas 
house, admiring the waterfall, and still our grum- 
bling captain did not appear. We made up our 
minds that he must have returned home, when sud- 
denly, with his face flushed, out of breath and drag- 
ging his feet, he came up to the terrace, his first 
words being, "Is there any beer ?" There was only 
one bottle left, and he drained it, throwing the bottle 
into the foaming waterfall as an offering to the gods. 
The day of the departure of the warship Vestnik 
there was a farewell breakfast on board. A great 
table was laden with viands and delicacies, and the 
crowd of visitors filled the ship until not even an 
apple could drop to the floor. Toast followed toast, 
and good-bys were said. But the officers must be 



The Land of the Rising Sun 231 

ready to start, although some of their heads are 
whirhiig from so many farewells and toasts, and 
finally the visitors must leave the ship, while the 
Vcstnik, with a long pennant Hying in the wind, sails 
out of the harbor. Crowds of funes (Japanese 
boats) filled with mousme, accompany the ship for 
a time, and the sailors as a parting souvenir throw 
their caps in the water, and the boatmen scramble to 
pick them up. As the Vestnik passes other war- 
ships she is greeted by cheers and music. It is only 
for a moment ; the ship disappears behind the prom- 
ontory, and the port resumes its every-day life, 

Alexander Siga, former secretary of the Japanese 
legation in St. Petersburg, now living as a private 
citizen in Nagasaki, proposed to me and several of 
the officers to go to a Japanese auction, and of 
course I thought it would be like a European auc- 
tion, but I was mistaken. The cjuick auctioneering 
in Europe does not suit the Oriental. All the 
crowd is seated on mattings (we found some 
benches), and every object is handed to every one in 
the room, each person examining it closely. If it is 
ornamented with silver or gold the Japanese will 
test it. With the object is handed something like a 
post-box, and the Japanese, after deciding carefully 
about the value of the object, writes on a little ticket 
how much he will give, and drops it into the box. 
When the object has made the rounds the auctioneer 
opens the box, sorts the tickets, and the one who has 
offered the highest price gets the thing. At this 
moment, when the highest bid is proclaimed, you 
can cry "teppo" (gun), and raise the price, when 
sometimes an auction such as we are accustomed to 
follows. 



Chapter XXI 

Trip to the island of Kiushiu — A new way of locomotion — 
Kagoshima, residence of the Satsuma prince — Ancient war- 
dance — Kumanioto and the Governor — The courtesan 
quarter — Ascent of the volcano Aso-San — Shimabara, the 
last stronghold of Christianity. 

Few people visit the parts of the island of Kiushiu 
that I did, as most foreigners content themselves 
with the vicinity of Nagasaki. My way led east of 
Nagasaki to- a small place called Mogi. In all direc- 
tions the eye rests on fields of sugar cane, indigo, 
sweet potato, millet, and rice. The cultivation of 
the ground is almost exemplary, although the agri- 
cultural implements are most primitive. Passing 
the cemetery, a fine view opens on the town with its 
gray roofs against the blue bay, which looks like a 
lake sunk in the mountains. At the summit there is 
a tiny Japanese inn, where some Japanese were 
feasting and had taken too much sake. One cannot 
but admire the manner in which the Japanese con- 
struct their new roads. Here, for instance, they 
have cut a gorge through the mountain simply to 
shorten the way. From the summit our kurumayas 
went down zigzag at a dizzy pace. This slope of 
the mountain was particularly beautiful. The fields 
were fewer, but the mountain was covered with 
bright vegetation, especially the bamboo, with its 
brilliant green and its slender, graceful form. It is 



The Land of the Rising Sun 233 

said in Japan that not a single crooked bamboo tree 
can be found, and it plays a great role in the house- 
hold of the Japanese. What do they not use bamboo 
for? Even the young sprouts are used for food. 
The lovers of flowers will go into raptures over the 
enormous camelias, which do not resemble much our 
poor hothouse plants, for in Japan the camelia is a 
large tree, with a thick trunk, and there are whole 
forests of them. Looking down over this slope, one 
lady of our company exclaimed, "What a beautiful 
carpet! Really, it would be difficult to arrange a 
more magnificent scene." Dear lady, when could 
theatre scenery or a picture equal the wonderful cre- 
ations of nature in the richness and inexhaustible va^ 
riety of her manifestations? 

The gorge widens and widens, and we are on the 
shore of a small bay at Mogi. Seeing foreigners 
approaching, the children came out in shoals to meet 
us, with cries of "Oranda jin" (Dutch people). It 
is curious, considering the foreigners of all nations 
who visit Nagasaki, how the common people con- 
tinue to call them Dutch. 

Looking at this crowd of children one wonders 
who could become enthusiastic about them. Ls there 
anything more filthy, more repugnant, or more un- 
pleasant to look at than these crowds of dirty-nosed 
ragamuffins, who never use a handkerchief ? Two 
out of every three have some skin disease, with scabs 
on their heads or faces. Can they be pretty ? There 
are certainly a few exceptions. Dr. Zander had the 
evil inspiration to go into a shop and buy a large 
quantity of tiny combs, mirrors, and other small ob- 
jects, which he began to distribute to the children. 



234 The Land of the Rising Sun 

It was very gay and funny at first, but soon the 
whole population was on foot dogging our footsteps, 
until we were glad to escape to the shelter of the 
hotel. 

The whistle blew, and I was obliged to bid good- 
by to my friends and take the little steamer to cross 
the bay. What a steamer! No sooner had we 
started than it began to rock so terrifically that 
every one disappeared into the hold. There it was 
worse, for the close air and sight of sick people was 
simply unbearable, while, to cap the climax, one 
stupid woman was beating her child for being sea- 
sick. But one could not remain on deck, as the ship 
rolled so far over, first on one side and then on the 
other, that it seemed as if she would never right her- 
self, and the waves washed the deck. Nothing hap- 
pened, however, and the evening brought us to Tom- 
ioka, on the island of Amakusa. The old burgo- 
master, with ancient Japanese coiffure, who is also 
the innkeeper, showed us the ruins and the grounds 
of the old castle of Tomioka. 

From Tomioka to Hondo a mountainous path 
leads, which, I must say, is terrible. Kagos were 
prepared for Siga San, who acted as my interpreter, 
and myself. But I must tell you what a kago is like. 
It is a sort of litter, consisting of a compact basket- 
work box, which holds one person if you double your 
feet under you. It is swung on a long pole, the ends 
of which rests on a cushion on the shoulders of the 
natives. There are generally two, sometimes four 
carriers, who stop every five minutes to shift the 
pole to the other shoulder. If you squat Japanese 
fashion it is tolerable; but as this is impossible for 



The Land of the Rising Sun 235 

the European, he must lie down! then the question 
is, where can he put his legs, for the kago is ar- 
ranged for the small Japanese stature. After trying 
it for a few moments I was obliged to get out and 
walk. Siga San and the cook were very comfort- 
able, and even took a nap as they balanced along in 
their rocking kagos. The ascent of the mountain by 
this stony path was very difficult, but we were well 
repaid by the delightful view. Below us lay Shima- 
bara. Onsen, Kabashima, Mogi with its little bay, 
the broad sea with its fantastic-shaped shores, and 
the pearl, Amakusa, with its green mountains — the 
wonderful forest stretching far, with no vestige of 
habitation. Flowers are blooming riotously among 
the trees, birds are singing, and pheasants and whole 
flocks of ducks taunt the lover of the hunt. In 
Hondo, Siga San found an acquaintance, who in- 
vited us to take pot-luck, and gave us all sorts of 
Japanese dishes — eel, awabi, pea soup, and preserved 
Japanese "kaki." 

On the following day we took a sailing boat to 
Kame no tsu (rice bay). Fortunately the sea was 
caressing and gentle, and we could quietly enjoy the 
lovely islands sprinkled along the coast, and the far- 
ofT line of mountains, enveloped in lilac mist; but, 
on the other hand, the wind died out, and we drifted 
about from ten in the morning until sunset. 

Kame no tsu is a poor little village, with houses 
covered with straw roofs. There were no jinrik- 
shas, and our only consolation was that we could get 
pack-horses. The house where we passed the night 
was literally made of paper, and it was very cold. 
Starting next day, we tried a new way of riding. 



236 The Land of the Rising Sun 

On a saddle of native make, with the packs on both 
sides, on a pillow between them, I sat with my feet 
stretched out on the horse's neck. There are no stir- 
rups, of course, and you are kept in place by sheer 
force of equilibrium, which is disturbed, however, 
when the horse goes down hill and you slide down 
onto his neck. After several days of riding this 
way, however, I became accustomed to it. The 
horses are never shod, but wear something like straw 
mittens, which necessarily are changed often. 

The field culture here is most varied, producing 
cotton, indigo, rice, millet, barley, hemp, sugar cane, 
tobacco, sweet potatoes, and all sorts of vegetables. 
The camelia is so plentiful that it is used as fire- 
wood. 

Before arriving at Akuna we met a gay crowd 
coming from Matsuri, accompanied by priests and a 
marionette theatre ; all the peasants laden with flow- 
ers and sweets. 

The picturesque surroundings of Akuna reminds 
me of the Crimea, especially of the road between 
Yalta and Gourzouf. To my regret the roads are 
not Crimean. We went partly along the beach, then 
ascended suddenly until the horses fairly scrambled 
over the rocks. It seemed that horse, with pack and 
rider, would disappear into the crevasses instead of 
jumping them. But there are moments when one 
forgets all in the wild beauty of the landscape, with 
great rocks jutting out of the sea, bathed in the sun- 
set rays. 

From Nishikata the country is thickly populated. 
There are many villages along the way, many labor- 
ers working on the government road, and strings of 



The Land of the Rising Sun 237 

pedestrians. Here I got a glimpse of the traditional 
Japanese postman, running with his mail from one 
village to another. In the village the peasants were 
busy thrashing, which is done generally by firelight. 
The grain ear is detached from the stalk by a comb, 
then all the ears are piled together and the grains are 
hammered out. 

Half way between Sendai and Ichiku is a silver 
mine with about fifty workmen, who receive from 
three to six yen pay a month ($i to $3). 

I had been told that since the last uprising the in- 
habitants of Satsuma disliked foreigners very much, 
but I did not notice it. They seemed a very gay, 
good-hearted people, laughing at the simplest thing. 
In the village of Naeshirogawa is a porcelain manu- 
factory. 

From Isuin we crossed a table-land with an ex- 
tended view over the neighboring mountains, then 
the road descends abruptly to Kagoshima, the chief 
city of the province, on the shore of a beautiful bay 
dotted with islands. It was once a populous city re- 
nowned for its handsome buildings. In August, 
1863, after the murder of Robertson by the samurai 
of the Kagoshima prince, it was bombarded by the 
English fleet. The fortress was destroyed and the 
town enveloped in flames, a typhoon assisting the 
work of destruction. At the time of the Satsuma 
uprising the town was taken by the Imperial armies 
and burned a second time. 

The province of Satsuma is rich in gold, silver, 
tin, copper, sulphur, camphor, saltpeter, tobacco, 
sweet potatoes, sugar cane, tea, indigo, wax trees. 



238 The Land of the Rising Sun 

lemons, oranges, and watermelons. The inhabitants 
make matting, cotton stuffs, and porcelain. 

Passing through the town, Siga San noticed a 
Greek orthodox cross on one of the houses, which 
turned out to be the dwelling of the orthodox Jap- 
anese priest. We called upon him, and, receiving 
us very cordially, he showed us the little church, and 
told us that there were one hundred and seventy-six 
orthodox in Kagoshima. I remarked that the in- 
habitants of Kagoshima are not of the ordinary Jap- 
anese type, for I saw many people with regular 
profiles. Siga San also assured me that he could not 
understand well all that the common people speak 
among themselves. After seeing the town we re- 
paired to the Satsuma factory, where the porcelain 
is celebrated for the lightness of its weight and its 
particular cream color, the glaze of which is crackled 
all over as if a fine net were spread over it. 

We saw the modellers at work, and were surprised 
at the richness of imagination of these simple work- 
men, who produce most lifelike figures and faces, 
and, although they have never studied anatomy, the 
movements of the body are well indicated. True, 
the Japanese artist does not need to retire to a studio 
to get models — he has only to observe in the streets 
to find plenty of material. But to think that these 
modellers receive from twelve to twenty-five cents a 
day ! The one who makes the drawings does not re- 
ceive more than fifty cents a day. Among the chefs- 
d'oeuvre of the Satsuma art, which were compara- 
tively cheap, we saw articles made especially for Eu- 
ropeans to be sold for old Satsuma. 



The Land of the Rising Sun 239 

"Why do you mark these articles with the old 
arms of the Satsuma prince, when the factory does 
not belong any more to the prince?'' I asked one of 
the overseers. "The foreigners give more for them, 
thinking that they are old Satsuma," was the answer. 

From the porcelain factory we went to the cotton 
manufactory. What surprised me was the low 
wages of the workmen (from one and a half to four 
cents a day), feeding themselves. When I ex- 
pressed my astonishment I was told that there were 
many workmen who received nothing during their 
apprenticeship. Not far from there is the delightful 
park of the Satsuma prince, and one of my pleasant- 
est recollections is connected with it. When the 
Heir Apparent, now the Emperor of Russia, visited 
Japan, I was in his suite when he visited this prov- 
ince, and the Satsuma prince prepared a festival in 
his honor, which was held in this park. One of the 
features of the entertainment was the old war-dance 
and march executed by all the prince's retainers, 
dressed in the ancient Japanese armor. We all wit- 
nessed this spectacle from a box, in company with 
the Prince himself, who wore a frock-coat. As the 
exercises went on the Emperor in a whisper re- 
marked, "Look, the Prince has tears in his eyes." 
Surely a vision of old Japan, with its past glories 
and grandeur, was passing through his mind. 

From Iso the road winds along the coast. Al- 
though the Satsuma prince was renowned for his 
wealth, he did very little for the welfare of his pos- 
sessions. The road is awful, the country deserted ; 
only rocks, with here and there a hut. The inhabi- 
tants are fisherfolk, and men, women, and children 



240 The Land of the Rising Sun 

walk about the streets perfectly naked. Profiting 
by the warm weather, I donned a white suit, but soon 
regretted it, as it seemed to attract myriads of flies. 

In Kadziki we had to take pack-horses. The road 
as far as Misobe reminds one of Switzerland, with 
its wild grandeur, and is worthy of the brush of 
Calame. About midday the Kirishima volcano be- 
gan to puff out smoke, and at moments we could see 
the bay of Kagoshima, with its active volcano, Saku- 
rajinia. From Misobe, on the mountain road, we 
passed a gold mine, and on the mountain near Ku- 
rino a geyser was spouting with great energy. The 
road from Yoshida to Stoyeshi reminds me of the 
break-neck paths of Montenegro and Herzegovina. 

The trip from Stoyeshi gave me new sensations. 
For the first time I experienced riding through rapids 
in a flat-boat. The boat moves off very slowly, the 
boatman rowing, but at the first cataract the man at 
the rudder has barely time by a quick movement to 
escape the rocks. One must really admire the cool- 
headedness with which he conducts his little craft 
through exactly the right spot, for a hair's breadth 
one side or the other, and the skiff would be dashed 
to pieces. For me it was the same sensation as 
tobogganing. The first moment I held my breath, 
thinking all was over ; but the pleasure continued all 
day, for there are many rapids in this river, as it 
flows along bordered by high mountains, dark with 
cypress trees, until it narrows and the projecting 
rocks nearly close overhead. 

The next place of interest was Kumamoto, the 
chief town of the province of the same name, and 
the former residence of Prince Higo. It is situated 



The Land of the Rising Sun 241 

on a fertile plain, and looks not unlike Scndai and 
Tokyo, The Governor of Kumamoto received us 
very kindly, although he kept us waiting a long time 
before he appeared. This is easily explained, how- 
ever, as our visit was in the evening, when high 
Japanese officials have already divested themselves of 
their European dress, which they wear only for the 
hours of service, then don the comfortable Japanese 
kimono before squatting on their heels to smoke 
their pipes, so the change back to European dress 
took some time. The Governor is an old man with 
clean-shaven face, and wore an old-fashioned frock- 
coat and a very small cravat. We left the sight- 
seeing in Kumamoto until our return, and pushed 
on to the volcano Aso San. The ascent begins at 
Kumamoto. A swiftly flowing river lies to the right 
and the mountains are first visible through a lilac 
mist, then grow larger and closer and the surround- 
ings become more and more picturesque. At Tateno 
we left our jinrikshas and entered a narrow ravine, 
where there is a small waterfall and several small 
houses. Through the kindness of the Governor a 
separate house had been prepared for us. There is 
a great reservoir of hot water, and all the country 
is bubbling with hot springs. Nearly four thousand 
invalids are brought here yearly. The place where 
we passed the night is delightful in many respects. 
The abrupt, high mountains rising around it are so 
close together that there seems scarcely room for the 
waterfall to gush through, besides the tiny square 
on which are situated the few houses. 

The following morning we began the ascent of the 
volcano. Everywhere there are traces of the vol- 



242 The Land of the Rising Sun 

canic activity of Aso San. We climbed three hours 
through monotonous country, but here and there are 
spots of pasture ground, where cattle were grazing, 
until finally we arrived at the first geysers, bursting 
out of the ground with tremendous roar. 

At Yuno-tani we took a hot bath, which dissipated 
our fatigue like magic. There are but few houses, 
and formerly they were close beside the geysers, but 
such near neighborhood was deemed dangerous, and 
they were moved lower down. Continuing, our 
climb was more difficult and desolate. From time to 
time extensive views opened before us, and after five 
hours' walk we reached Senjiugahama, on the old 
crater. The strong smell of sulphur gave warning 
that the active crater was near. A little farther a 
few shacks appeared, where dwell the people who 
extract sulphur. This occupation gives them little 
in return, as, for instance, eighty persons, taking 
about twenty thousand pounds of sulphur a day, re- 
ceive only three quarters of a cent a pound — to say 
nothing of the great risk they run, working in the 
crater, where they are likely to be asphyxiated at any 
moment, and where there is always possibility of an 
eruption. 

A curious experience was, when upon arrival at the 
first tea-house we were politely asked to go to the 
next one, and upon inquiry as to the reason we were 
informed that the owners of the tea-houses had made 
an agreement that each house should take turn in 
receiving the visitors — to-day one, to-morrow an- 
other — thus each one would have its share of profit. 
From here on begins what is known as the Valley 
of Death, with not a spear of grass nor sign of any 



The Land of the Rising Sun 243 

living thing. The smell of sulphur is unbearable, 
but we have begun, and will go on to the end. All 
along the path slender spouts of steam are issuing, 
and the Japanese believe them to be the souls of 
youths struggling to escape from hell, to prevent 
which they cover such places with great stones. The 
Japanese picture to themselves hell itself in form of 
the crater of Aso San, and truly it is imposingly ter- 
rible. The crater is twenty ri (one ri equals two 
and a half miles) in circumference and eight ri deep. 
From the depths comes a noise as if mighty engines 
were at work, and the exhalations of sulphur explode 
with tremendous crash out of the bowels of the earth. 
On the very edge of the crater stand idols, before 
which our guides made a long prayer. Siga San 
could not summon courage to walk clear to the edge, 
but, crawling cautiously, glanced in, and turned 
away terror-stricken. 

We descended by another trail to Miaji and Saka- 
nash, where a government official met us, dressed in 
a half military cape, like Mephistopheles in Faust. 
He was a very gay companion, was fond of brandy 
and whisky, and made friends immediately. From 
Sakanash we passed into the province of Bungo, and 
what a contrast to the Kumamoto province ! Instead 
of fields and plains, nothing but mountains and 
rocks, which seem like waves of a petrified sea. The 
road itself was something horrible. This ken, how- 
ever, is celebrated for its mineral springs. All these 
places belonged at one time to Prince Otomo, who 
sought to extend his sway over the whole island of 
Kiushiu. The Portuguese gave him the title of 
king. He encouraged the spread of Christianity, 



244 The Land of the Rising Sun 

but was finally overcome by his enemies, his posses- 
sions being confiscated and given to the followers of 
lyeyasu Tokugawa. In the town of Takeda are to 
be seen the interesting ruins of the castle of Oka, 
which is defended on all sides by high walls, and the 
two rivers Isidagawa and Inabagawa serve as nat- 
ural moats of the fortress. One can only enter the 
castle by a small path cut through the mountain. In 
the town are the granaries of the former prince. 
From Takeda we continued our journey in a pouring 
rain, which was nothing by daylight, but as night 
fell our kurumayas slipped so in the mud that they 
risked breaking our necks and theirs. If we had 
been making this trip from duty we should have 
grumbled enough, but as it was purely a pleasure 
trip we had to imitate our kurumayas, who took all 
the hardships with laughter. They had already run 
sixty-three kilometers to-day. For such a run they 
gain only sixty cents, but their food costs them next 
to nothing, as they can get a meal everywhere for 
one and a half cents. 

We passed the night at Oita, a poor little town 
with a castle, and the next day returned to Takeda. 
The weather being favorable, we could admire the 
landscape. I had read much of the spread of Chris- 
tianity in these parts, but I searched in vain for some 
vestige — monuments or churches — but never found 
a trace of it any more than if it had never existed. 
To what can this be attributed? Either the Jesuits 
tremendously exaggerated the spread and success of 
Christianity or the persecution must have been mer- 
ciless. 



The Land of the Rising Sun 245 

In Sakanash a private house had been prepared 
for us. It was the former villa of Prince Hoso- 
kawa, and now belonged to a merchant. It was a 
particularly luxurious residence, in Japanese style 
certainly. The sliding- walls were decorated with 
beautiful paintings. In one corner of the reception- 
room was a very valuable picture and rare chrysan- 
themums. In this place I saw the so-called butso- 
kan, a fruit called "Buddha's hand." It is a sort of 
orange which has the form of fingers, drawn to- 
gether as if to bestow blessing. The chief of the 
district, to amuse us, sent us a roll of paintings, a 
copy of an old manuscript describing the invasion of 
the Mongols. They contained many very well exe- 
cuted drawings, and it was curious to note that the 
Japanese represent the Mongols with black faces and 
themselves with white. They were also interesting 
as showing the costumes of the Mongols and Japa- 
nese of that time, Mongolian and Japanese ships, 
and the arrangement of Japanese houses,, which has 
not changed since then. 

The master of the house was a great lover of flow- 
ers, and had a wonderful collection of chrysanthe- 
mums. He also had a good collection of arms. Be- 
fore the house was a garden laid out in Japanese 
style, with strangely shaped stones and distorted 
trees; while right in the midst of this work of art 
arose an old cedar in all its glorious beauty. 

In Kumamoto, which we reached through a pour- 
ing rain very late in the evening, is to be seen Su- 
genji, or the former home of Prince Hosokawa. The 
house itself was burned, only the wings being saved, 
and they have now been turned into tea-houses. The 



246 The Land of the Rising Sun 

park of Sungenji is a Japanese garden, but on a very- 
large scale. There are, of course, the artificial 
ponds, rocks, islands, kiosques, waterfalls, artificial 
hills, contorted trees — in a word^ all that goes to 
make a Japanese garden; but as it covers an enor- 
mous area a large part was left as nature made it, 
and it reminds one, with its beautiful allees and gi- 
gantic trees, of an English park. 

Near Kumamoto is the temple erected in honor of 
the Japanese hero Kato Kiomassa. In the gallery 
of the temple there are many pictures relating to the 
war with Korea, and many trophies of that war. 
Happily they were not like the trophies of Konissi, 
who brought from Korea 40,000 ears and noses of 
Koreans. The castle of Kumamoto is considered 
among the most remarkable in Japan, and is in the 
Cyclopean style oi the others which I have already 
described. Returning to our house we found an aid 
of the Governor, waiting with a large tray, on which 
were spread a dozen grape-fruit, and tins of Kuma- 
moto tea. It seems that the Governor, wishing to 
open a trade with Russia, had sent samples of the 
products of Kumamoto ken; and especially was he 
interested in introducing Japanese tea into Russia. 
They sent experts to India, but could not succeed in 
preparing the tea to the Russian taste. They after- 
wards sent men to Hankow, where they learned to 
make the tea in the Chinese manner, and even made 
compressed bricks of tea. 

We were invited to a dinner at the Governor's at 
six o'clock. The dinner was European, and given in 
the same dining-hall where the banquet was held in 
honor of the Emperor's birthday. The great table 



The Land of the Rising Sun 247 

Avas spread as it had been then for sixty persons, al- 
though we were only five, and you can imagine the 
gloomy and forlorn appearance of our feast. The 
menu was varied and plentiful, and the Governor 
and his secretary ate with great appetite, smacking 
their lips. With the champagne the Governor made 
a speech, in which he asked our pardon for the bad 
country meal. That is always the order of things in 
Japan, and it is remarkable how the Japanese always 
speaks of himself and of all which belongs to him in 
such a deprecatory manner. He always speaks of 
his tumbled-down house, of his business as bankrupt, 
and of his wife as stupid. Imagine the consequences 
if European husbands spoke of their wives in such 
a manner ! The dinner was animated, the conversa- 
tion including many subjects, and afterwards we 
made a tournee in the courtesan quarter of the town. 
It is a town by itself, surrounded by walls and moats. 
After passing through the dark streets of the town 
and crossing a bridge, dark as pitch, we suddenly 
emerged into a sea of light. All the many-storied 
houses and hotels were bright with lamps and lan- 
terns, and from all sides came the sounds of singing 
and music, while behind the bars, like in bright 
cages, enameled and painted women, dressed in gor- 
geous costumes, sat like statues. A gay crowd of 
men, women, and children passed by, stopping to 
peer in. You would never think this the disrep- 
utable quarter of the town if it were not for seeing 
the guardians of these houses, back in the entrances, 
calling out to the passers-by and recommending their 
collection of women. And to think that the major- 
ity of these "joro," as they are called, are bound out 



248 The Land of the Rising Sun 

by their own fathers, who find nothing disreputable 
in this trade. The contract is generally for three, 
five, or seven years, the father receiving from two 
hundred to two thousand yen ; the person taking the 
girl assumes the obligation of giving her an artistic 
training in dancing and singing. The father, far 
from being ashamed to have his daughter in such a 
place, visits her, and you sometimes see them talking, 
to each other through the bars in the most friendly 
manner. When she returns to her home after her 
bondage, if she has amassed a capital, she can make 
a good marriage. 

The Japanese of the old regime who visits this 
quarter comes with covered face, not to be seen in 
such a rabble. A policeman is sometimes visible to 
preserve the good order of the public, but he is quite 
unnecessary, as the most indecent Japanese crowd is 
always well behaved. One never sees drunkards or 
brazen women, as sometimes in Europe. Every- 
where peace and quiet reigns, and it is quite re- 
markable, for, as every one knows, this quarter is the 
refuge of all the bad characters of the town. 

When a Japanese has committed a robbery he 
never fails to pass several days in this quarter, seek- 
ing enjoyment; and if a criminal cannot be found, 
detectives are sent here to trace him. 

Although the Japanese may despise these women, 
they do not know a better way of enjoying life than 
to spend their leisure in these quarters. I happened 
upon a manuscript of an aged man, a respectable 
father of a family, who described his trip from 
Kyoto to Tokyo, and it was one long account of his 
impressions received in different courtesan quarters. 



The Land of the Rising Sun 249 

They are called differently in different towns, and 
not all as the foreigner calls them, "Yoshivara" (the 
courtesan quarter in Tokyo). 

The Governor was very anxious to have us see the 
port of Misumi, which he and his entourage spoke 
of as the new Singapore. We found in Misumi a 
European quarter, consisting of a postoffice, tele- 
graph office, several stone buildings, and several 
huts. The streets are laid out as for a great city. 
The government has spent 300,000 yen on the port 
and the road to Kumamoto. If you look at the map 
you will see that the islands to the west and east 
form a protected bay of great depth, with many 
issues through which large ships can pass. We saw 
there a small steamer and several junks ; that is all I 
can say for the future Singapore. In the morning 
by five o'clock we were already seated in a small 
bark which was to take us across to the opposite 
shore. The boatman had informed us that we must 
leave at this hour in order that the current should 
carry us across. The sea looked calm, but as we 
came out a little the current took us, and carried us 
with such tremendous swiftness that in three hours 
we had reached Dozzaki, a poor little village with 
but a few houses. The coast is lined with stone 
walls to catch the fish when the tide goes out. 

The road to Onzen is not good, and we succeeded 
only in getting pack-horses, or kago, and after four 
hours' walk over a stony road reached Onzen, which 
is renowned for its health springs and sulphur baths. 
The geysers are not so high or imposing as at Aso 
San or Yunotani, although a great space is covered 
by these ventholes of the earth. The hotel, in Eu- 



250 The Land of the Rising Sun 

ropean style, is close to the geysers, and it is difficult 
to realize that one is on a volcano when one sees the 
green hills, the pretty village in the ravine, and the 
beautiful outlines of Amasuka rising out of the sea. 
It is, however, and the Japanese are right in calling 
it "small hell," for the whole night through the hiss- 
ing of steam and the rumbling like that of a great 
engine is heard, while in the daytime thick clouds of 
steam are ever rising from the earth. One must 
approach these geysers very carefully. I know one 
case when a friend of mine lost both his feet by fall- 
ing into one of these pits. In certain spots the na- 
tives unsuspiciously began preparing rice fields, and 
lo ! a boiling fountain gushed up in the midst of the 
fields. 

From Onsen we descended to Shimabara, interest- 
ing as the last stronghold of 30,000 Christians. 

The inhabitants appeared to me handsomer than 
in other parts of Japan. One meets frequently a 
handsome profile or a fine Roman nose, and the com- 
plexion of the people is lighter. 

We reached Kosiri at night. It is a small village, 
rarely visited by foreigners, and our arrival created 
a sensation. The house was very decent, still the. 
mistress excused herself that all was not in perfect 
order, and took great pains to make us comfortable. 

We continued our way the next morning, the 
weather being beautiful, but the sea was gray and 
covered with foam. From Kosiri the valley broad- 
ens until the mountains are left behind us, barely 
visible through a blue haze. 

In Aidzu the harvesting was in full swing, and 
women up to their knees in mud were cutting rice; 



The Land of the Rising Sun 251 

the village seems gay and even elegant. Spread on 
mattings before the houses were piles of fresh- 
plucked cotton from the fields. Every one seemed 
busy, except the children who played on the streets, 
and even they are not always free, for I saw a four- 
year-old youngster leading a horse to drink. 

Isahai is a pretty place on the river of the same 
name. In the tea-house, where we stopped to rest 
our kurumayas, Siga San, who was conversing with 
the mistress, asked her if there were any Christians 
in the place. "No ; this is only a little village," she 
answered, as if excusing it. 

More wonderful landscapes, another climb, and 
before us spreads the view of Nagasaki bay. 



Chapter XXII 

Popular festivals in Nagasaki — Kompira Sama — Bon Matsuri, 
or the festival of the dead — Ninth-month Matsuri before 
the temple of Osuwa. 

The eighth of April is the festival of Kompira 
Sama. The origin of this festival is as follows: 
Long ago, in the twelfth century, on a mountain 
covered with forest, called Koto hira Yama, in 
Shanuki, on the island of Shikoku, a small temple 
was erected to the deity, Oho-kuni-nushi-no-Kami, 
the Master of the earth. Father of the gods Food and 
Harvest. 

In that time in Shanuki lived the Emperor Sutoki- 
In, who had abdicated in favor of his son. Living 
in privacy during twenty-three years the Emperor 
died in Shidi, and as always a high place is sought 
to keep the cenotaphs (memorial tablets) of the 
emperors, so the choice fell on this mountain, Koto 
Hira, and the people prayed to Sutoki with the other 
Kamis. 

The temple, on account of its beauty and holiness, 
became one of the most renowned in Japan. Other 
temples of the same Kami were built all over Japan 
and a festival in their honor was held by the Japanese. 

On this day a great crowd of people can be seen 
on the road leading from Nagasaki to the mountain 
Kompira Sama. Girls in bright kimonos with flow- 
ers in their hair, children with rattles and dolls. 



The Land of the Rising Sun 253 

Buddhist monks with shaved heads, grown people 
carrying kites, a mass of foreigners, all making their 
way to the mountain. The road is lined with Japan- 
ese booths, where sweets, pastry, food, toys, dolls of 
every description, boats, masks and balloons are sold. 
Greater than all this is the sale of paper kites, for 
this is the day when old and young indulge in this 
pastime. Exhausted by the heat, jostling each 
other, the crowd climbs higher and higher. 

Near the little temple, which presents nothing 
remarkable, there is a great crowd of beggars and 
cripples, who try your patience with their trouble- 
some importuning. Above the temple is the hill, cov- 
ered with tents, shacks, and canopies under which 
the Japanese sit eating and drinking, and singing 
their songs. But let us go on. On an open space the 
great crowd with strained attention is gazing into 
the air, and there against the bright blue sky hun- 
dreds of paper kites are flying. The interest is 
centered, not in the flying of the kite, but in the 
struggle of one kite with another. The kite strings 
are covered with glue and fine ground glass, and the 
aim is for your kite string to cut another which is 
flying high in the air. The spectators take the 
greatest interest in this struggle, making bets of 
large sums. It is really amusing to see two kite 
strings cross and watch one kite fall to the earth, 
when the crowd rushes to the spot and every one 
struggles to get possession of it. 

But however interesting the sport is, it soon bored 
me, yet I have known people to spend hours at this 
amusement. The festival is at its height. The air 
is filled with the shrieks of the gay crowd, the noise 



254 The Land of the Rising Sun 

of rattles, drums, tam-tan:5, through which pierce the 
songs of the geishas and the twang of the samisen. 
Out of a booth rushes a red- faced, drunken Japanese 
and invites you to take a drink. A Httle more and 
the crowd will become too noisy and troublesome. 
Is it not time to return home? From the 27th to 
the 31st of August is celebrated the festival of Bon 
Matsuri Moran, or simply Bon Matsuri. The 
Japanese believe that the souls of the dead return to 
their families on the twenty-eighth day of the eighth 
month and remain with them until the thirty-first. 
At this time fires are lighted on all the heights to 
guide them on their way home. During these days 
Japanese eat only vegetable food. As soon as dark- 
ness falls all cemeteries and all places where the dead 
are buried are aglow with light. Alices of multi- 
colored lanterns, pyramids of light, festoons and 
arches reach from one mountain to another. Every 
family tries to make its burial-ground as beautiful as 
possible. 

On the first night it seems as though all the town, 
suburbs, and villages are moving toward the moun- 
tain. It is a sea of fire, millions of lanterns from 
the very smallest to the largest and brightest are 
climbing, as if rising from the sea, higher and higher 
and spreading out as far as the eye can see, until all 
this light seems to mix with the stars. Arrived at 
their burial-grounds the Japanese eat, drink, enter- 
tain their neighbors, go back and forth, send off 
fireworks, and in spite of the sadness of the com- 
memoration they enjoy themselves to the utmost. 
All the world is on foot and everywhere sounds of 
music, drums, and tam-tams are heard, firecrackers 



The Land of the Rising Sun 255 

and sky-rockets are exploding, and the crowd goes 
wild with excitement when a chister of multi-colored 
stars spreads out against the sky. The night of the 
third to the fourth the souls are solemnly recon- 
ducted, and started on their journey to the west. 
Every conceivable kind of boat is brought forth, 
made of wood, straw, bamboo or paper; for the souls 
are supposed to make the journey back in them. 
There are very small ones, and some as large as 
eighty feet long, with sails illuminated with lanterns 
and decorated with flags and ribbons ; some with tiny 
figures on the deck, and all laden with sweets, rice, 
sake and small change. These boats must all be 
launched at midnight of the last day, and so all the 
population, forming processions, carry them with 
the sounds of drum, music, and song to the water. 
Boats are so crowded on the shore that the people 
can step from one boat to another so as to reach the 
farthest one in order to launch the soul-boats. 

At midnight the lights are lighted on these little 
crafts and they are set floating, the breeze carrying 
them along, and sometimes setting fire to their sails, 
which in turn set fire to others, until the sea is ablaze. 
The police with long poles try to sink them. A 
youth jumps into the water, saves his own craft and 
sets fire to others. Then begins a struggle, and 
many to save their boats from sparks dive into the 
water, and the crowd applauds them, calling, "There 
is a smart one!" "There is a clever one!" "Impos- 
sible! is it sunk?" "Oh, that is beautiful !" All this 
is accompanied by laughter and shrieks and all these 
sounds mingling together are louder than the roar of 
the sea. 



256 The Land of the Rising Sun 

On the hill in the public garden with the century- 
old camphor trees is the temple of Osuwa. Foreign- 
ers generally call it the temple of the bronze horse, 
as there is a bronze statue of a horse in the court. 
An endless monumental staircase leads up to the 
temple. I will not stop to describe it, excepting to 
say that it is a large wooden building with all the 
accessories of a Shinto temple. I will, however, 
speak of the festival in memory of this saint. It 
was inaugurated in 1632 A. D., during the persecu- 
tions of the Christians, and the inhabitants of Naga- 
saki, to show their fidelity to the memory of their 
ancestors, organized the festival. It consists of 
representations of a historical character held before 
the temple every year from the ninth to the eleventh 
day of the ninth month, and it is called Ninth-month 
Matsuri. At first all the town and the suburban 
villages took part in the arrangement of this festival, 
but afterwards it was decided that each quarter 
should celebrate in turn, every eight years, excepting 
the Maruyama machi (quarter of the courtesans), 
which could take part every year. 

Preparations begin several days before the time 
set, and every house sends the best it contains to 
decorate the floats which form the procession accom- 
panying the saint, who goes in solemn state to Ohata, 
where he passes the night, returning home the next 
day. Rich materials, dresses, clothes, arms, vases 
and bronzes are sent to be put on the kasa-boko 
(floats), which are themselves costly works of art, 
decorated with ornaments of silver, lacquer, sculp- 
ture and metal work, representing vast sums of 
money, and all that the inhabitants can give of talent 



The Land of the Rising Sun 257 

and labor. On the morning of the festival the 
streets are decorated with all sorts of materials, 
bamboo and flowers. 

Through the kindness of the president of the 
court I had a good view from his balcony of all the 
religious procession. First appears a company of 
men bearing long spears, then follows a band of 
children dressed in elegant ancient costumes, carry- 
ing flags. They are nearly overcome by the weight 
of their finery, and their parents or relations run 
along beside them, helping them to carry their flags. 
If there are any children without parents, you should 
see with what despair they look about them for help. 
Then follow more children, carrying swords, and 
bows and arrows — in a word, all the belongings of 
the temple are placed on view. 

Some of the children wear silk hats, which look 
like tiaras; after them follow the Shinto priests, in 
white robes, with head dresses like horns of plenty. 
They protect themselves from the sun with fans. 
Next comes a tremendous crowd bearing a gold litter 
with small silk curtains, and into this litter or box the 
crowd throws money. Now come drums and whole 
rows of musicians, playing melancholy music on the 
flute — it is something heartrending; but the costumes 
of the musicians are very interesting. More children 
follow with more possessions of the temple, then a 
small gold temple on a litter. When this temple 
appears, in which the deity is supposed to be present, 
all the crowd clap their hands to call his attention, 
and throw money into the temple. The procession 
is brought to a close by priests in white robes on 
horseback, and thus ends the religious ceremony. 



258 The Land of the Rising Sun 

Then begin the odori and the figTires prepared for the 
occasion by a certain quarter of the town, and each 
street has done its best to prepare some figure, — a 
colossal lion, elephant, dragon, a gigantic junk or 
something of the sort, — ^besides some kind of a panto- 
mime representation. 

Let us leave the hospitable owner of the balcony 
and betake ourselves to the temple of Osuwa, where 
all these odori and floats must present themselves. 
One would never recognize the temple on this day. 
Where peace and quiet generally reign surges a 
crowd of many thousands. The great staircase is 
invisible, its steps being used as seats by the specta- 
tors, and on both sides of the space great stands have 
been erected, having- a place in the center free for the 
floats and theatrical representations. It looks not 
unlike a great amphitheatre; all the places are en- 
gaged beforehand, and the public has been here since 
sunrise. It is interesting to see how a mass of people 
push a gigantic dragon up the hill, or a huge chariot, 
and it is appalling to see these cars, laden with chil- 
dren, dragged up the ascent. But there they are at 
last in the space, and every chariot rumbles three 
times around before the public, stopping for a few 
moments to give its representation. The actors ap- 
pear, sometimes grown people, sometimes children, 
and give a little comedy or genre scene, then the float 
moves on to make room for the next one. After 
that a gigantic junk appears, with real sails and 
manned by Chinese sailors, and on this a historical 
representation takes place. Finally appears a huge 
casque followed by mythological animals, each one 
stopping while the performance is given. It may be 



The Land of the Rising Sun 259 

interesting' to give an idea of some of these plays. 
We will give the performance of Sakura Machi. 

Children come out with branches of cherry blos- 
soms and the following conversation takes place : 

"The blossoming of the cherry is a happy day. 
We are ordered to prepare the temple; let us go to 
the bright, blooming scene." 

After which follows the sacred Shinto dance, with 
the ringing of sacred bells, and the children repeat 
over and over again "madetasi" (congratulations). 

The next scene is of an historical character. 

Hidcsaemon. — "Why did you come ?" 

Soncmori. — "I have come to find some one of the 
family of Genji." 

Hidcsaemon. — "But to-day is a holiday. I beg 
you to drink some sake to the health of my master." 

Sancniori. — "I dare not refuse." (Hidcsaemon 
gives him a cup and geishas sing.) 

Hidcsaemon. — "Look, what is that? Near the 
promontory I see torches. Is it not a fight ? or may 
be brigands ?" 

Sancuwri. — "Look ! there is a woman swimming ; 
she is drowning, save her!" (He prays to Osuwa, 
and jumping into the boat rows to the woman.) 

Konian. — "Who are you, god or Buddha? I know 
not how to thank you." 

Sancniori. — "You are lucky. You have been 
saved by the blessed aid of Munemori, oldest son of 
the house of Heike." 

Koman, hearing these words, wishes to run away, 
but she is prevented. 

Hidcsaemon. — "Why do you wish to run away? 
Why do you swim so far?" 



260 The Land of the Rising Sun 

Koman. — "There is a reason," 

Hidesaemon and Sanemori beg her to tell them 
the reason, and she for answer throws herself into 
the water, saying, "I thought I had escaped the 
danger, but I have fallen into a greater one." 

Sanemori. — "Look ! she has a white flag." 

Hidesaemon. — "Row quickly and take the flag 
from her." 

Koman and others come out in priestly robes. 
Everybody praises her, that she was true to the flag 
of her master. Koman blesses them and promises 
that they shall be rewarded when Kumakamaru is 
grown. 

Hidesaemon and Sanemori. — "His glory will re- 
sound throughout the land." 

Koman. — "I have no doubt of that." 

Hidesaemon and Sanemori. — "And so good-by! 
We will meet again when he has become glorious — 
Medetasi, Medetasi." 

And so on the whole day. Such varied perform- 
ances are tiring, and also the position was not very 
comfortable, for as if purposely the bright blue sky 
was unclouded and the sun's rays were burning. 
Woe if you open an umbrella, for the whole crowd 
shrieks like one man, "Casatori" (shut the um- 
brella), and you must obey. I have already told you 
that the places on the great staircase are free and 
filled by workmen, carriers, etc. The elegant public 
receives no attention whatever on this day — the real 
masters are these shrieking people on the steps. All 
their caprices are fulfilled without a murmur, and the 
aldermen of the streets bow to them first as the pro- 
cession reaches the place. Blue is the dominant color 



The Land of the Rising Sun 261 

of this mass, and sometimes in this blue sea a black 
coat of a Europeanized Japanese appears, or yellow 
garments of the Chinese. What an interesting group 
for an artist. Look at that old witch opening wide 
her black mouth or at this coquettishly dressed 
mousme, or at those bronze-like naked coolies, or on 
the student of Japan with an Indian helmet on his 
head. 

After their appearance at the temple the odori, or 
chariots, rumble away through all the streets of the 
town, paying their respects to the town people, and 
everywhere the actors are feted and entertained, to 
the great joy of the children and the seiwants who 
for some reason could not go to the temple. And 
during three days the rumble of these cars is heard, 
accompanied by the sounds of bells and the unceasing 
shrieks of the crowd, never tired of looking at these 
wonders ; until finally when quiet descends upon the 
town you thank God that it is over. 



Chapter XXIII 

How the Dutch traveled from Nagasaki to Tokyo — Kasmpfer — 
Omura — Sasebo — Political meeting and a lottery — Miya- 
jima, Happy Island, where death is banished. 

Confined in Dezima as in a prison, the Dutch 
were obhged to go to Tokyo every year to make 
obeisance and bear presents to the Shogun and his 
ministers. This was their only chance of seeing the 
country, and Kaempfer, who was the doctor of the 
colony, has left a detailed account of his trip to 
Tokyo. The journey was made by land from Naga- 
saki to Kokura (opposite Shimonoseki), thence by 
boat to Osaka, and finally by land again along the 
Tokaido (the high road from Kyoto to Tokyo). 
The day for the journey was always set for the 15th 
or 1 6th of the first moon (February). When all 
arrangements were completed the presents were ap- 
proved by the governor and sent in advance to Shi- 
monoseki, the persons appointed who were to escort 
the Dutch deputation, and word was sent along the 
way that ever3rwhere dwellings and necessary horses 
should be prepared, as traveling in those times was 
not an easy matter, and the Dutch train, with the 
escort, consisted of a hundred or a hundred and fifty 
men. The chief of the military escort, a Japanese, 
and the Dutch Resident rode in litters (norimon), 
while the others sat on pack-horses with their legs 
crossed, or in case of illness or old age they could 



The Land of the Rising Sun 263 

ride in a kago. Here it is necessary to speak of the 
difference between the norimon and the kago. The 
norimon was only used by very high personages. 
The kago, as we know, is the Htter in its most 
primitive form, and is most uncomfortable; but 
the norimon is much broader, higher, and longer, 
so that one can lie down with ease in it. There 
are but few norimonos now, preserved in the 
families of feudal lords as souvenirs of the oklen 
times, or in the antiquity shops. They were con- 
structed with great luxury and richness. The height 
of the norimon depended at that time upon the dis- 
tinction and importance of the owner, and the gov- 
ernment strictly enforced the regulation that every- 
one should ride in norimonos according to his rank. 
The norimon looked like a large box, with a small 
door and window on one side, and was covered with 
lacquer and ornamented with gold according to the 
rank of the person. There were three, eight, or 
more carriers, and it was carried on the shoulders or 
in the hands of the carriers. 

When the Dutch Resident and his suite went 
through the island of Kiushiu he was, according to 
Ka^mpfer, attended by as much ceremony as the 
feudal princes. Roads were swept and watered. 
The common people were chased off the road ; those 
who were on horseback had to dismount, and pedes- 
trians, in sign of humility, had to scjuat, bowing low 
with their backs to the passer. This latter custom 
is still observed in Japan. When strangers visit a 
prison, all the prisoners have to go through the same 
thing, having no right to look at the visitor. It 
must be a custom of Malay origin, as one sees the 



264 The Land o£ the Rising Sun 

same everywhere in Java, But to return to the 
Dutch. One must say, that in spite of the consider- 
ation with which they were treated, they were in 
reaHty prisoners. Fearing that they would begin 
spreading their reHgion they were forbidden all in- 
tercourse with the natives. Their escort saw that 
they were entirely isolated from the world. Arriv- 
ing at the hotel, or at a house, they were quartered 
in the back court, where they were obliged to remain 
until the continuation of the journey. If, on the 
road, one of the Dutch desired to stop, the escorting 
Japanese surrounded him, and did not leave him for 
a moment. They were also prohibited from buying 
maps and guide-books along the way. In spite of 
these conditions, which were very hard, Kaempfer 
succeeded in collecting many facts, and his descrip- 
tion from an exterior standpoint is remarkable for 
its photographic exactness. The life of the Japa- 
nese, in spite of all the new tendencies in Tokyo, has 
remained the same as in the time of Kaempfer to all 
intents and purposes, and probably will not soon 
change. However, on the high road no norimonos 
are seen, nor the pompous trains of feudal lords and 
their suites. Now the former daimio and the gov- 
ernor travel in jinrikshas like simple mortals; but in 
the arrangements of the hotels and the life of the in- 
habitants of towns and villages one has before one's 
eyes life as in the time of Kaempfer. There are, of 
course, some differences, of which I will speak in 
due time. 

I will say that our preparations for this journey 
were not extensive. The kurumayas were waiting 
at the door, and when we were seated they started 



The Land of the Rising Sun 265 

with shrieks of dehght, tearing through the streets 
of Nagasaki. Our road lay along the northern con- 
fines of the bay. To the left lay Inossa. Leaving 
the bay, we entered a broad valley through which 
wound a ribbon-like river. The first village we 
came to was Urakami, which is remarkable in that 
its inhabitants have remained true to Christianity 
through all the persecutions. When the country 
was opened to foreigners they declared themselves 
Christians, and are, according to the Catholic mis- 
sionaries, most convinced and firm adherents to the 
church. In Urakami still exists a tree known as the 
Christian tree. 

Beginning at Urakami the country changes. From 
a picture of agricultural life we go over to mountain 
scenery, with great rocks, covered with vegetation, 
and ravines cutting through the high mountains. 
One of these mountains has the shape of a human 
head. From here begins the descent to the valley, in 
which there is a little town, Tokita, on the shores of 
the large bay of Omura. Connection is made by a 
small steamer with Omura, which was the former 
residence of the prince of the same name. When 
the Portuguese came to Japan they settled near 
Nagasaki, and Prince Omura became a Christian. 
Seeing that Nagasaki, thanks to the foreigners, had 
grown from a little village to a large and prosperous 
town, the Shogun took possession of it for himself 
and sent a governor to rule it. The celebrated resi- 
dence of Prince Omura has lost is significance, and 
only when the cherry tree blossoms do the Eu- 
ropeans go there to picnic, and the old walls of the 
castle resound with life again for a time. 



266 The Land of the Rising Sun 

In order to reach Sannoghi we had to change to a 
worse boat. It is quite wonderful that accidents are 
not more frequent with such tiny boats, for the 
storms are very hard and the bay very large, and 
these small steamers encounter difficulty in riding 
moderate-sized seas. 

On the road from Sannoghi to Uresino, which is 
very picturesque, there are many sugar and tea plan- 
tations, and in Uresino there are hot springs. In- 
stead of going straight to the north, as most people 
do, I returned to Sannoghi, and, going by way of 
Kawatama and Haiki, visited the naval port of 
Sasebo, where there are many European buildings 
and great sums are spent for the docks and quays. 
From there we continued to Arita, well known for 
its porcelain works. The near vicinity of the porce- 
lain factories is evident by the presence of white 
clay, white stone, broken china, and even in the vil- 
lages one sees vases and platters lying around. 

On the road to Takeo I had a curious experience. 
At certain points along the road great baskets of 
fruit are placed, with no one to guard them. The 
passer-by selects whatever fruit he likes, and drops a 
few coins into the basket. Takeo is a very pretty 
little spot, spread out at the foot of a mountain cov- 
ered with forest. The temperature of the hot spring 
is 3^ R., and is efficacious in cases of rheumatism, 
skin disease, etc., and also good for melancholia. 
Surely it must be so, as the whole night through I 
could not sleep for the noises of singing, shrieking, 
and laughter. 

About an hour's ride from Takeo opens a broad 
valley, where in many places the people were har- 



The Land of the Rising Sun 267 

vesting'. This region is renowned for the superior 
qnahty of its rice. On the road there are two coal 
mines and a great reservoir of water for irrigating 
purposes. It is very unique the way the wheel is 
turned b}^ a man who treads it. I have seen such 
irrigating arrangements in India. 

The principal town of the province (ken), Saga, 
is surrounded on all sides by fields, and makes the 
same impression as Kumamoto. The inhabitants 
seem to be very thrifty. 

The next place of interest was Dazaifu, where, 
amidst beautiful surroundings, there is a temple 
which was erected in the seventh century A. D. The 
court of the temple is embellished with bronze fig- 
ures of horses, cows, and lions. In the portico of 
the shrine there are always many pictures, and 
among them a portrait of Napoleon Bonaparte, done 
by a Japanese, and presented to the temple. There 
you can also see the portraits of the hundred Japa- 
nese poets and an exhibition of swords by renowned 
masters. As for the treasures of the temple, there 
are few left, as one of the shrines was burned not 
long ago with all its belongings. The destruction 
by fire of these temples is not infrequent, and wicked 
tongues say that the priests, little by little, sell all 
that is valuable in the temple, and one fine morning 
the temple is destroyed by fire; thus all traces are 
lost. The government, it is true, sent a commission 
to put on record all the treasures of the temples; but 
how can this prevent fires ? 

Near the temple is a beautiful garden with a 
waterfall and a thousand-year-old camphor tree, a 



268 The Land of the Rising Sun 

race-course, and pond with crusian carp, which come 
to be fed when you clap your hands. 

After Dazaifu there is nothing interesting before 
reaching Fukuoka, which is a great manufacturing 
center. Fukuoka and Hakata are two large cities 
which are close to each other, and can be counted as 
one city. There are two public gardens, a good 
theatre, and many public buildings. There I saw on 
one street a sign "tailer," instead of tailor. It is in- 
teresting that the English language is coming into 
fashion. I saw a decrepit old man studying an 
English vocabulary, and wondered what good Eng- 
lish would be to him. 

As we arrived in Kokura I heard a man calling out 
an announcement : "To-day there will be a lecture on 
the public opinion of the future parliament, besides 
a lottery for a hundred and fifty people, every num- 
ber drawing a prize." Is it not a curious way to 
promote political propaganda ? 

From Kokura four boats leave every day for Shi- 
monoseki, which, being on the main line between 
Japan and Korea, has assumed some importance and 
provided itself with some foreign restaurants, but on 
the whole resembles all other Japanese towns. In 
1864 Shimonoseki, as we know, was bombarded by 
the combined European squadrons. 

The road from Shimonoseki to Yoshida first fol- 
lows the sea coast, then turns inland. The country 
is hilly, with vegetation like in Kiushiu. Palm 
trees, latanias, and the long-leaved banana decorate 
the small spaces in front of the peasant houses. In 
Yoshida I saw a curious bath, worth mentioning. 
Generally the baths in Japan are arranged in the fol- 



The Land of the Rising Sun 269 

lowing manner : In the corner of a wooden tub is a 
sort of chimney or small stove, in which hot coals 
are put to warm the water. But the bath in Yo- 
sliida of which I speak consists of a kettle, large 
enough to hold a man, sunk in clay walls, and into 
which water is poured and a fire lighted underneath. 
A board is placed at the bottom of the kettle to pre- 
vent the bather from burning his feet. I did not 
wish to be boiled alive, and soon craved mercy. 

One could judge by many signs that the people of 
this region are very thrifty. Before every house 
there were plenty of grain- winnowing and other 
hand machines. One never sees steam thrashers in 
Japan, which is easily explained by the cheapness of 
hand labor. Many houses in Yoshida are covered 
with glazed tiles, which look very pretty. The coun- 
try is well populated, as at every step there is a large 
village. It seemed to me that the type of face here 
was more regular. In spite of the cold there were 
asters and many other flowers blooming in the gar- 
dens, and all was as green and fresh as in summer. 
Among the pines I could see orange trees, bamboos, 
and big cameiias. In Miyaichi, where we passed the 
night, we visited a temple, near which I saw a sign, 
"Here lessons in English are given." Later we saw 
that the temple was lighted, and it seems there was 
a public lecture on "The Independence of the State." 

In Murozima a private pavilion was prepared for 
us which commanded a magnificent view of the sea, 
and in spite of the cold we were very comfortable. 
Our kurumayas had run twelve ri that day, and you 
must remember that we had taken them upon leaving 
Shimonosekj, There was a nobleman among them 



270 The Land of the Rising Sun 

who had lost all his fortune in different speculations. 
He had managed also a theatrical troupe. 

From Yanai the road is very picturesque, remind- 
ing one of the celebrated Corniche, or the southern 
coast of the Crimea. The day was beautiful, the 
weather perfect, and I enjoyed to the utmost the 
views of the Inland Sea, which is literally covered 
with small islands. What a varied panorama is 
spread before the eye. There is a piece of blue sky, 
then a queerly shaped island, then again the smooth 
surface of the sea, sprinkled with sails, and so on 
until in the blue mist of the horizon glimmer the 
outlines of the far-off mountains. No words can 
describe it, and I doubt if a painter's brush would 
give the wonderful coloring of this region, looking 
at which one can easily imagine paradise. You in- 
voluntarily think, ''There is a place in which I could 
spend my life." But do not take the thought 
seriously; we are so created that from such a de- 
lightful spot we will be attracted to the noise and 
confusion of a great city with its teeming, active 
life. 

From Kamino-ha we sailed in a flat-boat to the 
neighboring island of Miyajima, celebrated for its 
beauty (one of the three great views of Japan). 
Excepting the village near the temple, there are few 
inhabitants on the island, and the deer are running 
perfectly tame in the forest. On this island no one 
dies, and there are no cemeteries. If by chance a 
person dies, he is transported quickly to the opposite 
shore. 

As death is banished from this island, so also is 
birth, and a woman in a delicate position must move 



The Land of the Rising Sun 271 

over to the mainland, living apart from the inhabi- 
tants and eating alone. The inhabitants make 
wooden cups, trays, ash-holders, cigar cases and 
boxes, and these objects are held sacred by the Japa- 
nese. One temple on the mountain was built by 
Hideyoshi out of the heaviest wood of the forest. On 
the heights is a five-storied tower which is said to 
sway in a high wind. In the portico of the temple 
are many treasures of Japanese art. They are all 
offerings, such as pictures, masks, embroideries, etc. 

A little farther a hotel and tea-house are luxu- 
riously arranged, with gardens, pavilions, small 
waterfalls — all in Japanese taste ; and from a certain 
spot there is a view to be had of the whole island. 
Our return trip was not so comfortable, as the sea 
was rough and tossed us about so that we were glad 
to set foot on shore. By evening we had reached 
Hiroshima, situated on a large river about one ri 
from the sea. The broad streets, shops, lights, many 
restaurants on the river banks, and great animation, 
all showed us that we had reached a large city. The 
town is the headquarters of a regiment, and many 
soldiers were to be seen in the streets. The follow- 
ing morning, when we left Hiroshima, the weather 
was cold and the fog hung thick in the hollows be- 
tween the mountains, like white shrouds; but the 
sky was blue, without a cloud. From the port we 
went in a boat to Kure, which is a naval station, and 
has cost the Japanese government several millions. 
Most of the buildings are European, constructed of 
bricks and granite, which can be had in the vicinity. 

From Hiroshima the road climbs the mountain, 
and in the neighborhood one meets pedestrians, jin- 



272 The Land of the Rising Sun 

rikshas, and merchants with wares; but the farther 
one dimbs the rarer become habitations, until there 
are stretclies of miles without any sign of life, only 
the silence of pine forests. As darkness came on 
we lost the high road, and groping along a narrow 
path my kurumayas upset my jinriksha. In Yakake 
there was some difficulty about my passport. You 
must know that foreigners are not allowed to travel 
beyond the treaty limit, and one has to secure a 
passport from the Japanese authorities for all the 
places you intend visiting. My passport was not 
very explicit, although I was in my right. First a 
police officer visited me, and I offered him tea, cake, 
and wine. Later the chief of the district arrived, 
and he was treated likewise. Finally, all misunder- 
standings being arranged, I was allowed to proceed, 
and the chief of the district presented me with a 
local dish, yubesh, which tasted very good, and con- 
sisted of lemon skin, beans, rice, salt, ginger, and 
sugar. I returned the compliment by presenting 
him with biscuits and candy, and we parted great 
friends. In Yakake our kurumayas demanded their 
pay, and spent every cent of it the same night. The 
nobleman frequently felt unequal to his task, but his 
pride would not allow him to acknowledge it, and 
he always tried to keep up with the others. 

Okayama is situated in a plain surrounded by 
high mountains, and boasts of a citadel, of which 
the walls and a five-storied tower remain. This 
Siro occupies a large space, now covered with mag- 
nificent trees. Of all the gardens I saw in Japan 
the one in Okayama is the most beautiful. I will 
not speak of the Japanese part of it, but of a greater 
part, with old trees growing as nature chooses, allees 



The Land of the Rising Sun 273 

of palms, latanias, magnolias, great fruit trees, 
through the silence of which fresh breezes pass — it 
is really magnificent. Here and there stands a build- 
ing dropped seemingly in this endless extent of park. 

The hotel was comparatively luxurious, but in the 
Japanese room the temperature was only 6 R., on 
account of a high wind. In the European room 
there was a Chinese table so heavy that it was im- 
possible to move it. The pretty daughter of the 
house could not manage to sit on a chair of Chinese 
make, but squatted generally on the matting at my 
feet. Suddenly there was a terrible commotion in 
the house, and the servants were running hither and 
thither in great confusion. I thought there must be 
a fire, but it turned out to be a thief who had stolen 
a great copper basin, and in spite of the appeals of 
the mistress to her neighbors he had escaped. 

Okayama is noted for its bronze and porcelain 
work, the latter being cjuite original on account of its 
dark brown color, which looks very like old bronze. 
After Katakani the road begins to ascend, and we 
were soon in the heart of a wild, mountainous coun- 
try. An inscription on a stone says that the Em- 
peror passed here in such and such a year. 

This morning all the country was covered by a 
heavy frost. The white tops of the mountains shone 
like diamonds, rising out of the bright green and 
masses of flowers scattered over the fields. 

The road leading from Une to Himejl is very 
good, and as we crossed the river I noticed a very 
large boat with a wheel. It turned out to be a mov- 
able mill. The boat lies at anchor and the force of 
the current turns the wheel. At Akashi the journey 
was finished, and I took the railroad to Kobe. 



Chapter XXIV 

Japanese family life — Birth — Sad fate of women — Marriage — 
Adoption — Divorce — Hara-kiri — Funeral of a prince. 

On the seventh day after birth a Japanese child 
receives a name. Of course we mean a Japanese 
male child, as a female child* is kept three days under 
the floor to show that women belong to the earth, 
while men belong to heaven. When the child reaches 
the age of one month his head is shaved. After the 
purification the mother, in holiday attire, carries him 
to the temple, and offering some coins thanks the 
family deity for the birth of a son. Then he is 
presented to all his relations, who make him various 
symbolical presents. When he is four months old 
he is dressed like a grown-up person. On the elev- 
enth day of the eleventh month only certain parts 
of his head are shaved, and at the fifteenth year he is 
recognized as a man, receives a new name, changes 
his hair-dress and can marry. The great aim of the 
Japanese, like the Chinese, is to preserve the uninter- 
rupted lineal descendence of the family, and the 
eldest son is recognized as heir. But, if in a family 
there are only daughters, the parents seek a husband 
for the eldest, adopt him, and he takes the name of 
his father-in-law. After the marriage the young 
people live with the parents. Generally such sons- 

* This was a former custom. 



The Land of the Rising Sun 275 

in-law are very poor and their position is not very- 
enviable. There is a Japanese saying that he who 
has but three measures of rice bran should never 
enter another's family. With the death of his father- 
in-law the young- man's position changes and he be- 
comes the head of the house ; even his mother-in-law 
comes under his rule, and he decides about the mar- 
riage of his sisters-in-law. Sometimes when the 
parents want to retire from active life and live by 
themselves (inkio) the children give them a pension, 
and in this case the son-in-law takes the place of the 
father and assumes the direction of the family. 

You see by this that tlie woman has no rights in 
the family. Until marriage she is the property of 
her father, eldest brother, or brother-in-law who has 
been adopted into the family. 

Confucius considers women as children who are 
destined to a permanent minority. A woman's life 
consists of three submi.Rsions : before her marriage 
to the head of the house, afterwards to the husband, 
and as a widow to her eldest son. Buddhists are 
even more strict with regard to women; they say 
that she has the face of an angel, but the heart of a 
demon; and in some places even her coiffure was 
arranged to cover up horns. Women were pro- 
hibited from going up to the holy mountain Nantai 
San. 

The idea that women are inferior creatures has not 
changed up to the present time, and the Japanese 
laugh at Europeans who treat women as their equals. 
The birth of a girl is counted a disappointment, 
therefore the Japanese speak of having so many 
sons and so many disappointments. Before her mar- 



276 The Land of the Rising Sun 

riage the power of the head of the house over a girl 
is absokite. A father can give his daughter into a 
house of ill-fame as a means of bettering his own 
financial condition and she has no right to protest. 
When the government tried to interfere with such 
sales the fathers did not lose anything, for they sim- 
ply borrowed the money, giving their daughters as 
security, or hiring them out for several years until 
the debt was paid, thus evading the law. In the 
choice of her husband a girl has also no voice. For- 
merly the princes and Kuge had to ask permission of 
the Emperor to marry, the daimio of the Shogun, 
and the Shisoku of their daimios, and formerly mar- 
riage was not permitted between the nobility and the 
common people. But all this has been done away 
with, and marriage now consists merely in registra- 
tion, that is, the couple wishing to contract marriage 
must notify the chief of the district and their names 
are registered in the lists of the district. 

Marriage is generally arranged by the parents with 
the aid of the go-between (nakodo). If all goes 
smoothly, a meeting is arranged at the theatre, or 
on a picnic. Formerly the higher classes were not 
allowed to see each other until the day of the mar- 
riage. After the meeting the fiance sends presents, 
which, if they are accepted by the parents of the 
bride, concludes the agreement. 

Then they choose a happy day for the marriage. 
Now about the happy day. The first day of the new 
year the priest in Ise publishes a calendar in which 
are announced the lucky days in the year, some for 
marriage, some for travel. If it is a question of 
adopting his son-in-law, he is presented to the family 



The Land of the Rising Sun 277 

and acquaintances of the fiance, and the ceremony 
of the drinking of sake takes place without the bride. 
The fiance exchanges cups three times, first with 
his father-in-law, then with his mother-in-law. 

If the bride marries into another family then she 
must go, dressed in white, accompanied by the go- 
between, to the house of her future husband. She 
takes with her the bride's presents, a piece of silk 
material, the so-called ceremonial garment, the sash, 
a fan, and paper. She must also take presents for the 
parents and relations of her bridegroom. 

In the marriage ceremony, which consists in drink- 
ing sake, the bride, the groom, the go-between and 
his wife, and two girls who pour the sake take part. 
The cup with rice brandy passes in turn from the 
groom to the bride three times three, or nine times 
(san san kudo). 

After the ceremony the young couple receive the 
congratulations of the parents, and of the go-between 
and his wife, who then conduct them to their room, 
where they again drink sake. After the san san kudo 
the bride changes her costume for a colored one with 
a pattern on it (the present of the groom's parents), 
the same thing being done by the groom. Then the 
relatives and acquaintances arrive to congratulate 
the young couple again, who then retire to their 
apartment. 

After the marriage the woman submits entirely to 
the will of her husband, or if he is not the head of the 
house, to his father or grandfather. The husband 
manages all her property, and Bousquet says that 
he even has the right to sell his wife. (Bousquet, 
"Le Japon de Nos Jours.") A moralist of the 



278 The Land of the Rising Sun 

eighteenth century, Kaibara, says in regard to the 
relations of husband and wife, that the wife must 
look upon her husband as the master and serve him 
with all the respect of which she is capable. In all 
her relations she must act with gentleness, humility, 
and repect, and obey his orders without question, 
being submissive even when he flies into a rage. She 
must look upon him as upon heaven itself, and try 
her best to accomplish his will, in order to avoid 
divine punishment. (Chamberlain, "Things Jap- 
anese," 433. Kaibara.) 

If it is not in direct opposition to the old Japanese 
customs, one can say that European civilization has 
modified in many respects the family relations, and 
already in many households the Japanese woman is 
not treated as a slave; arid the custom of Japanese 
married women of blackening their teeth and shav- 
ing their brows is already going out of fashion in 
the higher classes, it only being seen away from the 
capital and among the lower classes. Unfaithful- 
ness on the part of the wife gives the husband the 
right to drive her out of his house, or even kill her 
if he finds her in flagrante delicto with her lover. 

The husband, in case of infidelity on his part, is 
not subject to punishment. Old custom has or- 
dained that the husband, besides his wife, can intro- 
duce into the house concubines (mekake). The 
daimio, according to the "hundred laws and regula- 
tions," could have eight mekake, men of less import- 
ance five, and those of the lower class not one. The 
mekakes are in reality only servants presented to the 
husband by the wife. If the mekake has a son by her 
master, the lawful wife is considered the child's 



The Land of the Rising Sun 279 

mother, while the real mother is always treated by 
her son as a servant. If the lawful wife has no son, 
the son of the mekake is adopted, and looked upon as 
the rightful heir of the family even if afterwards 
sons are born to the lawful wife. 

The power of the father, like in ancient Rome, is 
unlimited, and he can if he so desires deprive his 
eldest son of his birthright; but in case he makes no 
will the property goes to the eldest son, who then be- 
comes the head of the family. Daughters receive 
nothing. We already know that when there is no 
male issue the son-in-law is adopted to continue the 
line of descendence and fulfil the rites demanded by 
the cult of ancestors. The Japanese avail themselves 
very largely of this right of adoption, and there are 
cases when the adopted son is older than his adoptive 
parent. Thanks to this law, many great families 
can boast of a lineal succession of several centuries, 
and the Imperial family of an unbroken line of two 
thousand years, or, as is the belief in Japan, for "ages 
eternal." 

The husband can divorce from his wife for the 
following reasons: ist. If the wife reaches fifty 
years of age without having" children ; 2d. Adultery ; 
3d. In case of disobedience or disrespect to the par- 
ents of the husband ; 4th. Talkativeness ; 5th. Theft ; 
6th. If she is jealous; 7th, In case of inherited dis- 
ease. The wife can ask divorce in case the husband 
leaves the country or deserts her during- a period of 
three years, if there are no children ; and if there are 
children, during- a period of five years. 

A divorce is oblig-atory on both sides if the hus- 
band or wife uses violence toward the parents of 



280 The Land of the Rising Sun 

either side. But divorce is attended by many for- 
malities and decided in solemn conclave by the rela- 
tions of both sides. 

In spite of this there were in 1886, 315,311 mar- 
riages and 117,964 divorces; in 1891, 325,625 mar- 
riages and 112,411 divorces; in 1896, 330,467 
marriages and 118,322 divorces. (Martin, "Le 
Japon Vrai.") 

In cases of marriage of Japanese with foreign 
women, the consent of the Japanese Government is 
necessary, and in this case the woman comes under 
Japanese law. In the high society of Tokyo there 
have been several such marriages, and generally the 
life of European or American women is quite toler- 
able, as such households are modified on European 
lines. In these houses there are two parts — the 
European, which is used for receptions and official 
life, and the Japanese part, for the intimate and fam- 
ily life. It is very difficult for a European woman 
to enter an old Japanese family and submit to all 
the demands of Japanese life. The marriage of Euro- 
pean men with Japanese women is not very frequent. 
I am not speaking of concubinage, described with so 
much talent by Pierre Loti in "Madame Chrysan- 
theme." During my pereg-rinations I knew a Euro- 
pean who married into a Japanese family and was 
adopted as son-in-law by his wife's family, assumed 
the name of his wife, and became a Japanese subject. 

Has the position of woman changed after thirty 
years of reform? The new code of 1899 provides 
that the woman can have her own property, can, un- 
der certain conditions, be the head of the family, and 
have a certain vote in municipal councils. In banks 



The Land of the Rising Sun 281 

and railway offices women are employed as clerks, 
and even I can name a Japanese woman, a Mrs. Hiru- 
oka, who saved a great banking establishment from 
failure and is now managing very successfully a great 
fortune. Some of the women of Japan object to the 
new code, which denies them the right of divorce in 
case of adultery of the husband. The concubine is 
not recognized by the law, but nevertheless she 
wields a great power, frequently more than the law- 
ful wife, and the Japanese themselves admit that it 
will take five centuries for monogamy to take root 
in the country. One must admit that even law is 
unable to change many customs of family life. 

The Japanese, under pressure of European custom, 
will perhaps cede the first place to his wife in public, 
but in his intimate life he is of the opinion that the 
best in the world belongs to the man, the wife can 
have the leavings. There is a Japanese saying, "the 
root of the turnip belongs to the man, the leaves to 
the woman." In even the highest families the master 
of the house eats first, the wife serving him ; and in a 
restaurant, if he is accompanied by his wife and 
daughters, he treats himself to the best the restau- 
rant affords, while they sit and look at him eat. 
When a couple goes out the wife must hold the um- 
brella over her husband. Apropos of this I saw a very 
good cartoon in a Japanese paper. On one side was 
a Japanese woman with her baby swung on her back 
and a great bundle on her arm, her husband march- 
ing before with his hands in his pockets, his face 
expressing surprise and wonder as he watches an 
under-sized American man with a great traveling- 
bag on his back, carrying on the left arm traveling 



282 The Land of the Rising Sun 

blankets and in the hand a vahse, while the huge 
American woman marches before with a tiny parasol 
in her hand. 

The Buddhists generally bury their dead near the 
Buddhist temples. Cremation is not frequent. The 
corpse is placed in a sitting position in a coffin of 
white wood, his head resting on a pillow of tea leaves. 
The head is placed toward the north and the feet 
toward the south, and the ceremony varies accord- 
ing to the rank of the dead. As for the Shinto burial 
rites, it would be interesting to give a description of 
the funeral of Prince Arisugawa, uncle of the reign- 
ing Emperor, Commander-in-Chief of the Japanese 
annies. During the war with China he went to 
Hiroshima, where he was taken ill and removed to 
Suma, where he died. His death was kept a secret 
from the public for twelve days, until his body could 
be transported to his Tokyo palace. This fact proves 
the tenacity of tradition with the Japanese, who be- 
lieve that a prince should die in his own palace. 
The Diet voted for the funeral expenses of the prince, 
20,000 yen. Prayers began in the palace before day- 
light. The representatives of the Emperor, of the 
dowager Empress, and of the Heir Apparent, made 
offerings of strips of paper fastened to branches of 
the holy tree (sakaki). All the princes, princesses, 
and high officials of the Court were present. 

The cortege left the palace at nine o'clock. At 
the head of the procession marched twenty men 
with white garments over their shoulders, carrying 
branches of the holy tree (sakaki), artificial flowers 
and flags with pieces of paper tied to them. Follow- 
ing came a simple wooden box with the offerings of 



The Land of the Rising Sun 283 

the relatives, then a number of Shinto priests on 
horseback, and walking, also dressed in flowing 
white garments. Following these were the bearers 
of the prince's chair, his orders, his arms, lance, and 
finally came the army. The coffin itself, according to 
Shinto ritual, was of the greatest simplicity, of white 
unpainted wood with gold ornaments. The uniform 
of the dead was used as a covering, and through an 
opening hung one sleeve, while fifty men carried the 
coffin. After it followed his servants, leading his 
horses, some carrying his sword and his wooden 
shoes. The chief mourner came next. Prince Take- 
hito, dressed, not in his uniform of naval officer, 
but in the deepest mourning, which consisted of a 
Shinto priest's costume, a white flowing garment 
with large sleeves, wide, Turkish trousers, and straw 
sandals on his feet; he was holding in his hand a 
bamboo staff. On his head he wore a head-dress 
made of hair which had the form of a horn of plenty. 
Then followed, also in white garments and brown 
Turkish trousers, with their hair tied at the neck 
and streaming down their backs, the wife of the 
deceased, his sister, and other female relations. 
More than a hundred carriages followed bearing the 
peers and ministers. In the procession were Bud- 
dhist priests with shaved heads and yellow garments, 
and Shinto priests in white blouses. The cortege 
wound up with six hundred soldiers. The music of 
the priests, the gentle, unique notes of the pipes and 
large flutes, contrasted with the European marches 
played by the soldiers. 

At the cemetery a wooden shed had been erected 
about five yards long. There the coffin was placed 



284 The Land of the Rising Sun 

with the principal offerings. On both sides of the 
funeral house were two galleries about sixty-five 
yards long, where chairs were placed. In the left 
gallery were the musicians, the near relatives of the 
deceased, the representatives of the Emperor and 
other members of the Imperial family, officials of 
the War and Navy Departments, members of the 
Diet, and other high officials. In the gallery to the 
right were placed the offerings of the gods, the 
Shinto priests, a bowl of water, princes of the blood, 
the diplomatic corps. Court ladies, and ministers. 

The ceremony was most simple, and consisted in 
offering to the deceased, silk and food. The high 
priest approached the coffin, made a deep bow, and 
clapped his hands, and after him followed his assist- 
ant and the other priests standing in pairs — all this 
was performed to the notes of the Japanese pipe and 
flute. After the music the oldest priest and his 
assistant began to wail in a nasal tone the words of 
praise, and the biography of the deceased. The rep- 
resentative of the Emperor, who had been sitting all 
this time with his hat on, approached the coffin, with 
a deep bow, and placed a branch of sakaki on a spe- 
cial table ; the same thing was done by the representa- 
tives of the Imperial family, by the princes, and all 
the other guests. 

During the ceremony cannon shots were fired at 
intervals. A small house had been erected, in which 
guests were treated to wine and sandwiches after- 
wards. The prince received, after death, the neck- 
chain of the Order of the Chrysanthemum and the 
second class of the Military Order of the Falcon, 
with the following rescript of the Emperor : 



The Land of the Rising Sun 285 

"Related to Us, you have rendered great services 
during the restoration, employing your knowledge 
and military talents to the strengthening of the Im- 
perial throne. 

"Your merits and valorous qualities not only were 
respected in Japan, but beyond her limits. Your 
actions and rare services have not their equal in all 
the ages, your deeds are like wings of the Imperial 
house, and the columns of the building of the State. 
Now we have a war with a neighboring nation and 
our warriors are on the march. You fulfilled the 
duties imposed upon you, daily you sat in the coun- 
cils of war, and to your faultless plans is due the 
great success of the present campaign. 

"We greatly regret your untimely demise, which 
overtook you in the midst of your great actions. 
Therefore we have ordered our high master of cere- 
monies. Marquis Nabeshima, to express our con- 
dolences." 

On the grave they place a stone slab with a small 
wooden placard (iliai), on which is inscribed the 
name of the deceased and the day of his death, and 
on the graves are planted sakaki or sakura. The 
third or ninth month after death the relatives repair 
to the cemetery tO' decorate the grave with branches 
of evergreen plants. 

Cremation is only practised by the Buddhist sect, 
Monto ; but it is spreading more and more, as it is a 
source of income to the Buddhist monks. It is di- 
vided into three classes — charging three-quarters, 
one and a half, and one and a quarter dollars for 
cremation. The bones and ashes are given over to 
the relatives, who preserve them in special urns. 



286 The Land of the Rising Sun 

Finishing with the funeral service, I cannot let 
pass in silence the Japanese institution of hara-kiri 
(seppuku), or legal suicide. 

Hara-kiri literally means stomach cutting, and 
was resorted to for ages by warriors not wishing to 
fall alive into the hands of the enemy. Thus this cus- 
tom was identified with the warrior class, or, better, 
the feudal nobility. Later on it was only the privilege 
of the nobility. By the law of the year 1500, people 
belonging to the feudal aristocracy or their relatives 
could escape dishonor and capital punishment by 
committing hara-kiri before witnesses, in which 
cases it was accomplished with great ceremony. The 
suicide took leave of his household and friends, in- 
vited them to a banquet, made his will, and then be- 
fore the witnesses opened his stomach with a small 
sword, sharp as a razor. This custom is not entirely 
obsolete even now. 



Chapter XXV 

Various Japanese customs — Tattooing — Massage — Moksa — 
Acupnnctura — Jiujitsu — Superstitious beliefs and fortune- 
telling. 

Living ill Tokyo for several years, I must say 
that I never went out without seeing something new 
or interesting. But as they were things that hap- 
pened in everyday Hfe, I did not make notes of them 
all; yet such things are characteristic of Japanese 
life. As the visitor to Russia never forgets the Rus- 
sian bath, so he who has been to Japan always re- 
members the unique figure of the blind amma (mas- 
sagist), at the time of the evening when he wanders 
about the streets groping his way with a staff, and 
making plaintive music on his pipe, warning people 
to make way for him. Massage treatment has been 
long used in Japan, and every Japanese after his hot 
bath and after a journey loves to have his body 
massaged. The ammas form a special corporation, 
and there are women who follow this calling, but 
they do not go about the streets. I have spoken 
elsewhere of the wrestlers, but there is another 
method of gymnastics which is entirely Japanese, 
and was formerly only practised in the samurai 
class. This method teaches an unarmed man to re- 
sist attacks of those who are stronger than himself. 
With this method is combined a certain training of 
the body. Sobriety, a certain diet, and deep breath- 



288 The Land o£ the Rising Sun 

ing are obligatory, I will not go into many of the 
details of jiujitsu, as there are numerous books writ- 
ten on this subject, and it can only be understood by 
seeing it practised. One of the great movements 
consists in fortifying the exterior edge of the hand, 
by striking it repeatedly on a hard object, first light- 
ly, then with more and more force, until one can 
break a strong cane with merely the side of the 
hand, and one stroke can break the arm of a man. 
Such a stroke on the larynx will lay an adversary 
low ; and the outer edge of the hand seems in Japan 
to take the place of the fist in Europe. The ini- 
tiated perfectly understand anatomy, and know ex- 
actly where a light stroke on a nerve will produce 
temporary paralysis. They are so well taught that 
through the masses of muscles they can place a finger 
on the nerve which will paralyze the arm or leg and 
put the adversary hors de combat instantly. It is 
not only ingenious, but really scientific. I have also 
mentioned before the Japanese fondness for taking 
cures, and how much time they spend in hot springs. 
Among the many Japanese treatments is puncturing 
of the skin with needles and moksa, or burning. 
There is scarcely a Japanese who, besides tattooing, 
does not bear some marks of moksa. On the skin 
they place a wad of a fibrous plant (Artemisia vul- 
garis latifolia), and on top of the wad they place a 
hot coal of the root of Siliciimi religiosum. Accord- 
ing to the Japanese this burning preserves them from 
many illnesses. Instead of a mustard plaster, as we 
use in Europe, the Japanese use tin stomach warm- 
ers, which they fill with hot coals ; and I have heard 
European doctors express their approval of this sys- 



The Land of the Rising Sun 289 

tern. Although there are many Japanese doctors 
who have studied medicine in Europe and America, 
and have a contempt for these popular remedies, 
still, on the other hand, every Japanese town has its 
own magician or medicine-man, who is as popular 
as the fortune-teller. 

Fortune-telling has existed in Japan from time 
immemorial. At first it consisted in interpreting the 
quantity and quality of cracks on a deer's shoulder 
blade, which was held over the fire ; then later it con- 
sisted in putting burning coal of birch bark under a 
tortoise. In this case the magician could only pre- 
dict after seven days of fast and prayer. Fortune- 
telling by little blocks was borrowed from China. 
There were sixty-four combinations — for instance, 
letter A meant sky; B, morast; C, fire; D, thunder; 
E, wind, etc. ; but these letters had several meanings, 
which were searched for in a book. Astrologists, 
interpretation of dreams, science of physiognomy, 
and chiromancy are freely practised by Japanese for- 
tune-tellers, of whom many gain great fortunes and 
live in luxury. Those who are poor propose their 
counsel on the streets and open places, and there pil- 
fer the credulous people. 

From fortune-tellers it is a natural transition to 
popular superstitions and beliefs. Let us begin with 
those which presage luck. The Japanese, like our- 
selves, say that a man who has been falsely reported 
dead will live long. The Japanese believe that it is a 
good sign to meet a priest in the morning. In Eu- 
rope a spider in the morning means sorrow (matin- 
chagrin) ; in Japan you are told to kill a spider in 
the evening, even if he resembles your own father. 



290 The Land of the Rising Sun 

White spots on the nails means a new dress, liver 
spot on the neck, a present of a new dress ; liver spot 
on the knee, a voyage. If your ear itches you can 
expect a present the next day ; the hand itching also 
means a present; if the sole of the foot itches, some- 
thing dishonorable will happen to you. It is a good 
sign if you see a carp swimming up stream or if you 
hear the cuckoo for the first time in a potato field; 
and this bird brings bad luck if you hear it the first 
time when you are looking in the mirror. If the 
bamboo brings forth fruit (which is very rare), it 
means famine. If the common fish iwasi is scarce, 
there will be bad weather. If a hen crows like a 
rooster, the house will fall down. To fall in a ceme- 
tery means that you will die within three years; it 
also presages misfortune to break 3^our chopsticks 
while you are eating. 

People with large heads, large mouths, broad 
foreheads, and large ears are considered lucky. A 
wide space between the nose and the upper lip means 
long life. Left-handed people are always clever, as 
are people with short nails. A long tongue shows 
inclination to thieving. Big nostrils indicate a 
spendthrift; thin lips, talkativeness. 

Habits are also explained in this or that fashion. 
A man who pours too much tea on his rice has an 
unreliable character; he who dislikes salted vegeta- 
bles will be poor; a woman who likes burned rice 
will have a pock-marked husband. 

If the shadows of the birds fall on the shutters 
you may expect company; also if a tea leaf stands 
perpendicularly in the cup. If you wish to get rid 
of a tiresome guest you must burn with moksa his 
wooden clogs or place the broom upside down. 



The Land of the Rising Sun 291 

It will rain if the cat or dog eats grass, or if the 
birds bathe. 

There are many ways of turning luck to you or 
turning misfortune from you. If you find a worm 
in a graft you must eat it, as it is good for the stom- 
ach. You can stop a flow of blood by pulling three 
hairs out of the head. 

The preventives of disease are very numerous. In 
Tokyo you will frequently see small tickets with a 
black hand on them; they are used as preventives 
against smallpox. If you see a man with sore eyes, 
look at him fixedly without blinking. To wear a 
ring is very good for a pain in the shoulders. In 
order not to take cold, put warm water on your 
shoulders before you take a bath. For aching bones 
you must catch a fish {Gohnts virgo). It is espec- 
ially good to eat beans at night. He who eats the 
first fruits and vegetables prolongs his life seventy- 
five days. If children sleep long it is a sign that 
they will live long. You generally see in Japanese 
houses a crystal ball, which is supposed to protect 
the house from ghosts, devils, thieves, and all mis- 
fortunes. A tree which is struck by lightning, or 
even a chip of it, will save you from a lightning 
stroke ; the mulberry tree acts likewise. 

For bad dreams and nightmares you must sleep 
with your finger in your mouth. Never fill in a 
well. He who kills a cat will be punished for seven 
generations. Never give a present of a comb; it 
makes enmity. 

Many sayings serve to keep the people clean and 
orderly, such as "Never drink out of a broken piece 
of pottery"; "Do not spit on the hibachi or throw 
crumbs on the matting-." 



292 The Land of the Rising Sun 

You must not wash the pestle which crushes the 
beans, as you will bring death to your father and 
mother-in-law. You must not sweep at night or cut 
your nails. 

There are many customs relating to the cult of 
fire, and the sun, as, for instance, you must not 
throw hair, nails, or unclean objects into the fire. 
Rice is held in great respect — you must not throw 
it about, or you will have sore eyes. One must never 
throw away brushes which are used for writing — 
they must be offered to the temple; and therefore 
one sees in the temples heaps of these brushes. The 
same thing is done with needles. Of special interest 
are the superstitions in regard to animals and rep- 
tiles. Never point your finger at a snake. Held in 
particular respect are the fox and the rat, which re- 
ceive divine honors; the monkey, which but for 
three hairs would have been a man; ravens, which 
know the future three years beforehand; geese and 
swallows, which for the winter depart into the land 
of immortality; the crane, which lives a thousand 
years, and the tortoise, which lives ten thousand. 
Many animals are believed to have the power of 
changing their shape ; for instance, the sparrow can 
change into a shell, a snake into a dragon, and a 
frog into, a toad. I was myself a witness of the re- 
spect generally felt for the toad. In my garden in 
Nagasaki, besides snakes, there were many huge 
toads. One day I very nearly struck one, but was 
prevented by my porter, who told me that the souls 
of one's grandfathers and grandmothers went into 
toads, and to kill one would bring me great mis- 
fortune. 



PART THIRD 

Chapter XXVI 

Language — Written language — Inconvenience of Chinese influ- 
ence — Popular instruction — Press — Literature — Novels and 
popular literature — New tendencies. 

The Japanese language was formed of two ele- 
ments — the popular Japanese language (yamato, or 
nihon no kotoba; that is, the language of Yamato) 
and the Chinese, adopted by Japan from China ut 
the same time as Buddhism. Before we speak of 
the mingling of these languages, so dissimilar in 
character, we must say a few words of languages in 
general, which are divided in the following groups : 
First, monosyllabic languages, in which the root 
represents a certain idea. To this group belongs 
the Chinese. To the second belong the languages 
of the agglutinative type, where a suffix is added to 
the root, changing" the sense of the word. The Jap- 
anese language, belonging to the Uralo-Altaic fam- 
ily, belongs to the second group. To the third 
group, with inflective endings, belong the Indo-Eu- 
ropean langxiages. 

Having determined the place which the Japanese 
language occupies, we will add that it differs from 
the Chinese, in that it is polysyllabic and places the 
verb at the end. The Japanese will always say: 



294 The Land of the Rising Sun 

"The lama prayers say," "Shepherd flock guards." 
The Japanese popular language is musical, having 
many vowels; but, in substance, is poor in words, 
obscure in meaning, and has no grammar nor syn- 
tax. The Japanese noun knows no distinction of 
gender or number; the Japanese adjective has no 
terminal comparison; the Japanese verb is proof to 
the distinction of number and person. 

To the question, "Have you any brothers?" the 
Japanese will answer, "There are four men, but they 
are all women." Or they will say, instead of "see 
the moon," "moon see." Or a more complicated 
sentence is, "My yesterday on meet man as for this 
morning's ninth hour's train by Tokyo to went," 
which means, "The man whom I met yesterday went 
to Tokyo by the nine o'clock train this morning." 
The Japanese language being so involved, imper- 
sonal, complicated, neutral, and obscure, we must 
agree with Chamberlain, who says that it is the most 
difficult language on the face of the earth. We al- 
ready know that a Japanese book begins at the end, 
is read from top to bottom in lines running from 
right to left, and the foot-notes are at the top of the 
page. The Chinese language mingling with the 
Japanese, at the time of the introduction of Budd- 
hism, did not blend into an organic whole with the 
native Japanese language, but formed a curious ag- 
glomerate, or mosaic. 

When the Chinese language was introduced into 
the Japanese schools there was no effort made to 
change the native grammar on Chinese lines, nor to 
translate Buddhist books or the works of Confucius 
into the Japanese. The aim of the teachers was to 



The Land of the Rising Sun 295 

conduct the teaching of the two languages on par- 
ahel Hnes; thus Chinese words and phrases were 
adopted wholesale. Together with the Chinese 
words adopted by the Japanese, there are, of course, 
synonymous Japanese words. But the Chinese col- 
oring proves the superior education of the Japanese, 
for the higher his culture the more Chinese words 
he knows and employs. To be more clear, it is as if 
those who have studied classics would, in their con- 
versation, interpolate whole Greek sentences — they 
would be understood by very few. 

Therefore, from the mingling of these two alien 
languages several idioms have originated: ist. The 
former classical Japanese language, yamato, under- 
stood only by the Shinto priests and a few literary 
men ; 2d. The present official language, interspersed 
with Chinese words, clumsy and obscure of mean- 
ing; 3d. The literary language used by the press and 
not understood by the common people ; 4th. The lan- 
guage of the people. 

When I was in Japan I frequently heard that so 
and so speaks "woman's language," and at represen- 
tations of old dramas, when I would ask some cul- 
tured Japanese to give me the sense of what was 
being said, he would generally answer that no one 
knew the meaning except the Shinto priests. If the 
Chinese had an influence on the spoken language, 
still greater was its influence on the written lan- 
guage. 

The Chinese ideographic characters were adopted 
as a whole. The inconvenience of these Chinese 
characters is apparent when you think that it takes 
seven years to learn them, and with what result? 



296 The Land of the Rising Sun 

One knows by heart two thousand ideographs, and 
can read a few books, but not all, as every science 
has its special signs. Therefore a Japanese, like a 
Chinese, must study until he is gray-haired an alpha- 
bet which a European child will learn in a month. 

The handwriting is especially difficult to tmder- 
stand, even for educated Japanese, as in writing the 
Chinese characters they use more freedom, and their 
characters do not always resemble the original sign. 

The Chinese characters adopted by the Japanese 
may be read with the Japonicized Chinese pronuncia- 
tion or with that of the pure Japanese word of which 
it is the equivalent. For instance, hara-kiri (Japa- 
nese) and seppuku (Chinese) have the same sign. I 
have often seen Japanese and Chinese meet, and, not 
understanding each other, begin to write, which silent 
conversation made matters perfectly clear. 

The inconvenience of these ideographs was appar- 
ent, and the Japanese had long ago the idea of a 
phonetic writing. In 835 Kobo Daishi transformed 
forty-eight Chinese characters into a Japanese alpha- 
bet, or, more literally, into a syllabarium, which 
formed a verse, beginning with i-ro-ha, and called 
katakana. Later this syllabarium was worked over 
into "quick writing" (hira gana), and it is used for 
popular books; while if in the text Chinese charac- 
ters occur there is always the meaning at the side in 
katakana. One would think that the invention of 
these Japanese syllabarium would do away with the 
Chinese characters, but this is not the case, as the 
Japanese phonetic writing has also many obstacles, 
one of the principal of which is the quantity of 
homonyms. Take, for example, the word "to." Its 



The Land of the Rising Sun 297 

meaning can be vomit, door, stick, whetstone, con- 
flict, weather, fishing rod, this, it is, etc. So in using 
it the Japanese have to explain the meaning with a 
Chinese character. This is why books written for 
women or the lower class are filled with Chinese 
characters. 

Thus the foreigner who desires to study Japanese 
literature in the original cannot limit himself to the 
knowledge of the katakana and its numerous varia- 
tions (at least two hundred signs), but must begin 
the study of Chinese characters, which, as We have 
said above, demands a lifetime. 

In view of these difficulties many Europeans ad- 
vise the Japanese to give up Chinese hieroglyphs and 
adopt the European alphabet. 

On account of the difficulties one encountered in 
learning only the alphabet, in the beginning of Japa- 
nese history education fell to the lot of very few. 
From the year 791-707 we hear of the laws of the 
Emperor Mombu relating to popular education. The 
daimios busied themselves with the education of 
their samurai, which consisted of etiquette, music, 
archery, riding, writing — that is, the Chinese 
signs — and arithmetic. The higher classes studied 
Chinese philosophy, literature, and history. In that 
time there were no schools for the lower classes. It 
was only at the time of the Restoration that atten- 
tion was turned to popular education. In 1871 a de- 
partment of public instruction was established. The 
popular education in Japan is obligatory, but not 
free. By the law every child - must go to school 
until the age of fourteen; but as the law authorizes 
eleven-year-old children to work in the factories, 



298 The Land of the Rising Sun 

they finish their studies at the loom, and there are 
seldom fourteen-year-old children in the elementary 
schools. In the year 1896, out of 7,480,000 chil- 
dren of school age, only 4,800,000 visited schools; 
that is, only 65 per cent. 

It will be interesting to note that among the 
newly enlisted soldiers there were 16 per cent, who 
had passed through the higher popular school, 41 
per cent, who passed through the elementary school, 
26 per cent, knew the four rules of arithmetic, 16 per 
cent, did not know them. In Osaka, out of 500,000 
workmen from ten to thirty years of age, 350,000 
had never received any education. 

The average of teachers in j)opular schools from 
1873 to 1878 was 47,000; in 1901, 92,000, receiving 
on an average a salary of sixteen yen per month 
(eight dollars). For the secondary schools we have 
217 schools, with 3,700 teachers and 78,000 stu- 
dents. In the primary schools there is co-education 
of boys and girls. The secondary education of 
women is still in its infancy. There are 51 schools, 
with 12,000 pupils, and in Tokyo there is a private 
university for women. 

Regarding higher education, there are two uni- 
versities, one in Tokyo, the other in Kyoto. 

Of what does Japanese education consist? Metch- 
nikoff, in his book ("L'Empire Japonais"), cites the 
report prepared by the minister of public instruc- 
tion for the Philadelphia exposition. In the ele- 
mentary schools, according to this report, the chil- 
dren learn 3,000 Chinese characters; those who pre- 
tend to a good education must know from eight to 
ten thousand hieroglyphs. Up to the age of nine 



The Land of the Rising Sun 299 

the child must know by heart, not necessarily under- 
standing the sense, Ko-Kio (son's devotion) ; Toshi 
gen, or collection of poetry of the Tan dynasty (five 
volumes) ; Ko-bun-sin-po, or the treasures of liter- 
ature, in two volumes. In the secondary schools he 
is taught, 1st, Shiogak (precepts of the Chinese 
classics) ; 2d, Confucius; 3d, Kongo, a pupil of Con- 
fucius; 4th, Mendzi; 5th, Tzi iu (five principles of 
conduct) ; 6th, Nihon gwai zi; 7th, Dai nihon ji of 
the Prince Mito; 8th, Sikio, collection of poetry in 
two volumes; 9th, Memories of the History of 
China; loth, Annals of Chu Confucius, two vol- 
umes; nth. Ceremonies, four volumes; 12th, Com- 
mentaries on the annals of Chu, fourteen volumes; 
13th, Later history of China, 22 volumes; 14th and 
15th, History of the Mongol dynasty, loi volumes; 
i6th. Chronology of China, thirty volumes; 17th, 
Commentaries on the chronology, 100 volumes. 
This report finishes with an etc., which produces, as 
Metchnikoff says, a cold shiver in the reader. If 
we add two foreign languages — English is oblig- 
atory — besides history, geography, and other Eu- 
ropean sciences, you can only marvel at the capacity 
of the Japanese brain which holds all this. Begin- 
ning his education at the age of six, the Japanese 
only finishes at the age of twenty-five. 

The Japanese student in the University works a 
great deal, but how do they work? They listen 10 
lectures by foreign professors and write them down, 
not understanding very much. Dumolard says that 
out of one hundred students only three could speak 
French, yet the lectures were in French. The stu- 
dents wrote them down; that is, they wrote sounds 



300 The Land of the Rising Sun 

unfamiliar to them and recited them by heart at the 
examinations. (Dumolard, *'Le Japon politique, 
economique et social.") The English and German 
professors had the same experience. The Japanese 
memory is phenomenal. The Japanese student 
thinks that it is beneath him to study a foreign lan- 
guage by beginning at the beginning, and in the 
primary French class, instead of the grammar, he 
begins by translating the Political Economy of Le- 
roy Beaulieu. 

Their vanity will not allow them to admit that 
they do not understand a thing. Dumolard invited 
his pupils to come to his house in order that they 
might ask him for an explanation of anything which 
was not clear to them in his lecture. Never once did 
they question him on the subject of his lecture about 
the intricacies of the hypothecary system, but they 
would ask his ideas on the divinity of Christ or 
about submarines. And sometimes they would an- 
nounce that they did not wish any more American 
history, but would rather study about airships. 
Again, if they dislike a professor they simply strike, 
and won't go to his lectures. The University is 
getting more and more to be a hotbed of Chauvin- 
ism. The modern Japanese youth has adopted the 
violent and quarrelsome spirit of the samurai, and 
the old Japanese politeness taught by Confucius is 
luiknown to them. With their caps on the sides of 
their heads they walk along the streets, and think 
nothing of pushing a foreign lady from the side- 
walk. Even Marquis Ito called attention to the im- 
politeness and turbulence which they showed toward 
foreigners. And no wonder. This feeling of ani- 



The Land of the Rising Sun 301 

moslty against foreigners is fostered in the school. 
At seven years the Japanese are taught that their 
country is the first in the world, and Kwantung is 
pointed out on the map as the possession of Japan. 
The feeling is inculcated that no nation can equal 
the Japanese in valor, power, and virtue. Even 
such enlightened statesmen as the Marquis Saionji 
thought it necessary to warn the educators against 
giving way to the old spirit of yamato damashi (the 
old Japanese spirit) ; and, thinking that the nation 
had arrived at a high state of perfection, this advice 
was not accepted. Not only the public, but the 
nearest assistants of the Marquis were up in arms 
against him. 

The Japanese pride themselves upon their school 
system being American ; but there is very little Amer- 
ican about it, except that in the University there 
is an engineering and an agronomic department, and 
that the pupils in the primary schools, instead of sit- 
ting on the floor, use benches and American school 
desks. 

With the adoption of European civilization began 
the development of the press. Forty years ago the 
Japanese did not know what a newspaper was. In 
April, 1863, Joseph Hiko and some others under- 
took to issue a newspaper devoted to international 
news. The whole country was in a turmoil. The 
first paper, costing six sen, was read in secret, and 
even distributed free of charge. Some people, in 
fear of the consequences, entirely refused to read it. 
There was no question of advertisements, and nat- 
urally the editor lost on the venture five hundred 
gold pieces. The seeds, however, had taken root. 



302 The Land of the Rising Sun 

In 1865 a magazine was published, Bankokii Shim- 
bun (International News), of twenty pages, appear- 
ing two or three times a month. In 1867 Bankokii 
Seyyozaki was issued, and afterward changed its 
name, and could boast of having a thousand five 
hundred subscribers. 

During the Restoration the evolution of the press 
went quicker. The Nichi Nichi Shimbun (daily 
paper) appeared, and in Yokohama the Mainichi 
Shimbun (a daily). In 1872 a government circular 
was issued, stating that in view of the services of 
these papers they would be sent throughout the 
country. This raised the prestige of the press, and 
soon a column in the Nichi Nichi was devoted to the 
government. The circulation of the Nichi Nichi 
increased when they had a space "for the knowledge 
of the Cabinet." 

Now the paper is published at night and delivered 
early in the morning. In the good old time there 
was no such hurry. The paper was printed during 
the daytime and delivered in the evening. Now the 
newsboys run in the streets with a bell, and cry out 
the name of the paper and deliver it at the houses in 
a bustling manner, throwing it in at the door and 
running to the next place. Formerly he entered 
the kitchen, had a chat with the servant, and took a 
cup of Japanese tea. 

The papers of that time looked upon advertise- 
ments as a burden, and demanded to be notified a 
week ahead. It happened once that the newspaper 
was in such demand, and as the newsboys were not 
sufficient for its delivery, all the staff went out on 
the route, and even the cashier, who was a samurai, 



The Land of the Rising Sun 303 

walked about with his two swords in his belt, deliv- 
ering the paper. 

Sometimes an editor, not being able to write his 
editorial, inserted the following announcement : 
"Yesterday the wind carried away our manuscript. 
He who finds it will please return it to the news- 
paper office." But all this is in the realm of the 
past. Now the Mainichi and Nichi have a circula- 
tion of from 120,000 to 130,000 copies; Osaka 
Asahi, 100,000; Tokyo Asahi, 60,000, etc. In 1899, 
401 new papers appeared, of which 265 went under. 

The development of the press was stimulated by 
the political events, the Satsuma uprising, the pro- 
mulgation of the Constitution, the war with China, 
etc. 

The Japanese paper, as we know, does not re- 
semble ours, beginning as it does with the last page. 
It is surprisingly cheap (only ten to twenty cents a 
month, or one cent a copy), when we realize the 
difficulty of printing it. Besides the katakana, the 
newspapers are obliged to use Chinese characters, 
of which there are twenty thousand. 

The paper uses daily about four thousand signs, 
so that the compositor must be an unusually well 
educated man. The compositor, having a box con- 
taining the katakana type before him, examines the 
manuscript with a magnifying glass, then cuts it 
into strips and delivers it to boys, who begin run- 
ning about to find the corresponding Chinese char- 
acters, which are kept in pigeon-holes covering all 
the walls of the room. The boys, pushing each 
other, sing-song the name of the character, as it is 
only familiar to them by the sound. Having found 



304 The Land of the Rising Sun 

the necessary types, they bring them and place them 
before the compositor, who examines them with his 
magnifying glass and arranges them in their proper 
places, adding the kana. The proofs are read twice, 
also aloud in the sing-song tone. 

The staff of the paper consists of a chief editor, 
several assistants, reporters, etc. Sometimes the 
editor gives the entire printing over to a printing- 
office. 

Contrary to the chief editor in Europe, who has 
only to direct, the Japanese editor has very much 
actual work to do, and only receives from fifty to 
two hundred yen a month. The assistant editors 
receive only from thirty to fifty yen a month. The 
small papers have on their staff a novelist and an 
artist. The financial business is in the hands of a 
special manager. The reporters, who are of the 
greatest importance on the paper, receive from five 
to ten yen a month. The contributors receive from 
one to three cents a line, and the Japanese line is six 
times as large as ours. 

The paper is arranged in the following form : 
Seven pages of advertisements, three editorials, two 
pages for telegrams and correspondence; feuilleton, 
one page, and the finance department, one page. 

With the Constitution came freedom of the press, 
and with this came license. The papers mix in pri- 
vate affairs in a manner which even the papers of 
Europe do not permit. Under the private column 
there will be such headings as : "Prominent men 
having mistresses," "Prominent men having illegit- 
imate children," "Ladies of the world supporting 
actors," and the names are given, the worst being 



The Land of the Rising Sun 305 

that many of these papers are bribed by financial 
concerns. 

Speaking- of the tendencies of different papers, we 
can say that the Nichi Nichi represents conservatism 
and the official world ; the Jiji, commercial and trade 
interests; Kokitinin, progressive and liberal views; 
Nippon is distinguished by its violent speech, and 
the Yomiiiri by its interesting reading. 

Of the magazines, the best known are the Koku- 
min-no-touio (Friend of the Nation), which con- 
tains the best literary forces of Japan; Tayo (The 
Sun), very popular, and printing articles on every 
possible subject; Waseda Bungaku (a literary mag- 
azine), and the Imperial literary magazine, Teikoku 
BtmgaktL The Nippon jin preaches "]d.pan for the 
Japanese" ; Tayo keisai sashi is dedicated to finan- 
cial questions; Kioi kujiron to popular education; 
Kokka to art; Rikuchi to religious questions; Tayo 
gakku gei sashi to scientific questions. We must 
not omit the papers published in foreign languages — 
The Far East, The Revue Frangaise; and the news- 
papers — The Japan Daily Mail, and Japanese Times, 
which are up to the European standard and have a 
wide circulation. 

Japanese literature, under the influence of China, 
during a period of thousands of years, produced 
nothing of importance. Ghenji Monogotari, which 
has descended to our time, can be called the only 
production worthy of the name of literature, and in 
substance, what is its value? It is a tiresome, dry 
account of internal wars, stretching over a hundred 
years, and the enmity of the ruling houses of -Taira 
and Minamoto. 



306 The Land of the Rising Sun 

Only the courtiers of the Mikado had leisure to 
cultivate literature and witticisms or compose epi- 
grams, poetry, and sonnets. As an example we can 
quote Bousquet, who gives us in the following lines 
a fair idea of this sort of literature, "I went in the 
field, I tied my horse to a tree and contemplated 
nature." What follows ? will ask the reader. Noth- 
ing; that is all there is to it. Or another phrase, 
"In truth, if animals took the place of men it would 
not change the aspect of the world." 

The cultivated classes spent their time in studying 
the Chinese classics, copying them and commenting 
upon them, and produced nothing original or inde- 
pendent. 

The creations of popular literature, which was 
not permeated by Chinese influence, showed more 
originality. The popular creative power expressed 
itself in dramatic poetry, of which I will speak later, 
and in novels and tales, printed in hiragana and read 
principally by women. These popular tales have 
frequently been translated into European languages 
and many of them are remarkable for their simplicity 
and poetical charm. (Midford, "Tales of Old 
Japan.") We will cite the story of Urashima. 
Urashima-Taro saved the life of a tortoise and threw 
it back into the sea, where it disappeared. Many 
years later Urashima-Taro was shipwrecked and 
was saved by the tortoise, which, recognizing him, 
put him on her back and carried him to the beautiful 
Queen Riugo-zo, living on the island of Otahima 
Sama. The beautiful queen fell in love with 
Urashima and they lived happily together, but 
Urashima grew restless and wished to return to his 



The Land of the Rising Sun 307 

home, if only for a short time. The queen finally 
complied with his wish, and sending him to the 
mainland gave him a box, which he was cautioned 
not to open. Urashima, returning to his home, 
found himself amidst unknown people. Not having 
strength to overcome his curiosity he opened the 
box; sounds of thunder were heard, he was dazed, 
and suddenly from a young man he was transformed 
into an old man, who realized that he had been 
away from his home for three hundred years and 
was now forever cut off from returning to his queen. 

The Japanese love to listen to stories of the past, 
and the public of the large cities visit with delight 
the tale-tellers, who sometimes narrate funny anec- 
dotes or read legends from the time of Hideyoshi 
and the internal wars. These story-tellers are 
visited principally by the poor who cannot afford to 
go to the theatres. But the public is so numerous 
that a platform is erected and a great hall prepared, 
almost like a theatre. The government tried to put 
a stop to these story-tellers, whose influence on the 
people was very great; but they simply went out 
into the streets, where they were followed by great 
crowds. 

Besides the entrance fees received by these story- 
tellers, they are well paid by people who invite them 
to their houses to amuse guests. I have already 
said that novels, printed in hiragana, are read prin- 
cipally by women. According to Bousquet every 
young girl having leisure has a subscription at the 
library, where for twenty-five cents she can have 
every possible old or new book. 



308 The Land of the Rising Sun 

As an example of the novels let us borrow from 
Bousquet the story of Kosan Kinguro. 

The samurai Bunnoji had a son, Kinguro, by an 
illegitimate union, which was disapproved by his 
father. As the mother of Kinguro died at his birth 
his father gave him to a nurse and adopted also a 
small girl, called O Kami. O Kami and Kinguro 
grew up together, loved each other, and their father 
did not object to their future marriage. 

Meanwhile, the father of Bunnoji, feeling that his 
end was near, desired to make peace with his son and 
see his grandson. "Send my grandson to me," 
wrote the old man, "and by-gones will be by-gones." 
Bunnoji, foreseeing a great future for his son, dis- 
patched him to the old man. The young people 
separated with tears and promises of faithfulness to 
each other. No sooner had Kinguro departed than 
Bunnoji tried to persuade O Kami to marry another 
man; but in despair she wishes to commit suicide 
and flies to the river, where she is taken by robbers 
and sold into the courtesan quarter of Kamakura. 
Bunnoji, counting her dead, infonns his son, who 
in despair returns from Kyoto to Kamakura. There 
his friends, wishing to take his mind off his sorrow, 
take him to the courtesan quarter, where he meets 
by chance a sister of O Kami, who had never known 
her and who after various struggles had become a 
geisha. Kinguro speaks to her of his sorrow, and 
she, wishing to amuse him, sends him a beautiful 
geisha, already famous, called Kosan. Kinguro 
recognizes in her his beloved O Kami, and in a 
rage showers reproaches upon her. She tries to 
exonerate herself, but finally in despair tries to 



The Land of the Rising Sun 309 

commit suicide, when Kinguro stays her hand, begs 
her pardon, and peace is made between the lovers. 
Bought back out of the gay quarter, O Kami hves 
in a small house and becomes a mother. 

Bunnoji, hearing that his son lives with some 
geisha, demands that he break this tie and marry a 
woman whom he does not love. Kinguro partly 
complies with the wish of his father, at the same 
time keeping his mistress. Bunnoji, finding this 
out, goes to Kosan (O Kami) and persuades her 
to give up her lover. The poor girl sends her child 
to her sister and commits suicide, cutting her throat 
with a razor. Bunnoji takes his grandchild and 
they all live under the paternal roof. 

This is a novel which embraces three generations, 
and sometimes, according to Japanese custom, they 
do not finish there. How did European civilization 
react on Japanese literature? Chamberlain's opinion 
is that it gave it a death blow. Thousands of books 
are printed every year, but all are translations, and 
the editors hasten to acquaint the public with the 
best productions of European literature. "Has 
Japan produced anything worthy of mention during 
this time, or anything which can compare with the 
chefs-d'oeuvre of European literature?" asks Pro- 
fessor Tsibuchi. ("The Future of Our National 
Literature," Far East, October-November, 1896.) 
And after examining the matter, concludes that it 
has not. We should say, that having given all her 
energy to political evolution, Japan had no leisure 
for literary work and may in the future say her 
word. 



Chapter XXVII 

Japanese theatre — Origin of the theatre — Comedy — Drama — 
Character of Japanese dramatic art — Celebrated actors — 
"No" in the Mikado's palace. 

The Japanese dearly love a show and the theatre 
plays a great role in their lives. Generally speaking, 
the Japanese theatre as we see it now is of recent 
origin. In the thirteenth century there existed 
"No," or pantomime performances in masks, among 
the aristocracy, accompanied by music and choruses, 
and this can be said to have been the beginning of 
the theatre in Japan. In 1603 a troop of dancing 
girls performed a ballet in the open air, though the 
place was enclosed by a bamboo fence and the stage 
by screens. This representation was called "O Kuni 
Kabuki," or dances of O Kuni (the name of the 
principal dancer) , The ballet so delighted the public 
that it was no time before they were given in Tokyo 
and in other cities. At the zenith of their success 
the government found that such representations had 
a demoralizing effect on the public, and prohibited 
women from appearing on the stage, afterwards 
forbidding altogether these performances. 

In consequence of the protests of those who had 
lost money by this prohibition, the government was 
finally persuaded to make a concession, and the 
performances were allowed to continue, with the 
proviso that only men should appear in the roles. 



The Land of the Rising Sun 311 

This gave a new impetus to the theatrical art. 
While women were on the stage it had consisted 
merely of pantomime; but now, in the hands of men, 
the art began to develop and many plays on different 
subjects were introduced. The monotonous dancing 
and songs were replaced by comedy scenes, and 
historical and genre drama dawned. The first 
historical drama was declaimed with musical accom- 
paniment. We are already familiar with the story 
of Monogatari, and in course of time many such 
Monogatari appeared (Takatari, Ise, Equa, Genji 
Yamato, Monogatari), and the author of the best 
known, "Heike Monogatari," is called Zensi Yukin- 
aga. Later a blind man by the name of Jobutsu 
began declaiming these productions, with the accom- 
paniment of musical instruments, and still later this 
declaiming with the accompaniment of the samisen 
was added to the marionette theatres, and by the 
initiative of Jidai historical plays were presented. 
Since then historical plays are always called Jidai- 
mono (thing of Jidai), in contradistinction to the 
Setsa-mono, or comedy of manners. 

About that time appeared Chicamatsu Manzae- 
mon (1693-1734), called the Japanese Shakespeare. 
He dramatized the history of forty-seven ronins, but 
his chef-d'oeuvre is the story of the adventures of 
the pirate Kokuzen, who chased the Dutch out of 
Formosa during the reign of Charles II. His 
followers, Takeda and Idzuma, sought to develop 
dramatic art, and instead of the former declaimers, 
real actors appeared in Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto, 
those of every town having their specialties. In 
Tokyo the drama distinguished itself by gaiety, acts 



312 The Land of the Rising Sun 

of daring, and courage; in Osaka and Kyoto grim 
and sad tragedy reigned. Here I must mention, 
that there was a time when it was not proper for the 
samurai to attend the theatre. That is to say, the 
trouble began by the theatrical directors complaining 
of the turbulence of the armed men of two swords, 
and the government of the Shogun, to put an end 
to it, forbade the samurai to enter a theatre. The 
samurai in any case had to leave their swords with 
the doorkeeper, as a samurai seen armed in a theatre 
would be considered dishonored for life. This order 
perhaps tended to keep the peace in the theatres; 
but as the samurai were the most educated class in 
Japan, their absence led to the lowering of the 
standard of dramatic art. At that time the actors 
were pariahs, had to wear in the street a straw hat 
of a certain form, lived in the gay quarter, and were 
spoken of as of cattle, for instance so many "head." 
But in spite of their low position the lower classes 
were enthusiastic about some of the actors. 

With the Restoration (1868) it was not considered 
a disgrace for a nice person to be seen in the theatre, 
and actors like Danjuro are received in the most 
aristocratic houses. 

After these preliminary remarks let us go to a 
theatre. Formerly they were in the vicinity of the 
courtesan quarter, the rendezvous of all vagrants and 
even criminals ; but this is all changed, and some of 
the Japanese theatres from the outside look like 
European theatres. Yet many, on the other hand, 
still have the look of booths at a fair. At the top 
of every theatre is a sort of watch tower or wooden 
box to watch for fire, and there are two box-offices, 



The Land of the Rising Sun 313 

where the cashiers squat on their heels and arrange 
in piles the copper and small silver coin. The build- 
ing is decorated with flags, enormous advertisements 
and pictures representing the principal episodes of 
the play. The crowd begins to gather at daybreak, 
for the Japanese drama sometimes lasts from early 
morning until late at night, and sometimes for two 
or three days. The swarming crowd consists of all 
classes of society — peasants with their handkerchiefs 
tied around their heads, petty government officials, 
coolies, and, what increases the receipts, many 
women and children. The women, of course, are 
in all their war paint, in holiday costumes, wonderful 
coiffures, and take with them provisions for all day, 
which are eaten during the entr'actes by the children. 
At the entrance one formality is necessary, you 
must leave your wooden shoes outside. The tickets 
(gallery seats from 2 to 3 cents; galleiy boxes for 
five persons, 5 yen, and the squares in the pit, 3 yen 
70) are collected at the entrance. TwO' doors lead 
into the pit, while a staircase^ladder rather — on 
either side leads up to the boxes. The building is 
only two stories high. The pit is divided into 
squares of equal size, like a draft board. There are 
partitions surrounding each quadrangle and the 
spectators have to step over these to gain their places. 
Every square has its inevitable hibachi. When a 
family is installed in its box, which holds four 
people, sometimes six or seven, it is very difficult to 
get out; but as the play lasts ten hours or more, they 
eat, smoke, women nurse their children, in fact they 
are quite at home, squatting upon their heels, which 
position being the least tiring can be retained by 



314 The Land of the Rising Sun 

them a whole day. If you wish to be comme il faut 
in the Japanese sense, you must not take your tickets 
at the box-offices, but at a neighboring tea-house, 
where you arrive the morning of the play, and one 
of the servants conducts you to your place, brings 
you the program, a pillow, a tabakobon, a tin of tea, 
with teapot and cups, and whatever you wish to eat 
during the day. 

Two boarded passageways raised above the pit, 
above the heads of the audience, run from one end 
of the auditorium up to the stage. By these the 
public of the pit enters; and most of the actors 
during the representation make their exits and 
entrances over this sort of bridge, when illusion 
demands their arrival from a distance, or when 
leaving the scene they are supposed to walk through 
the streets or across country. This adds to the 
realism of the performance. Often the dialogue 
begins in the rear of the public, as soon as the artist 
enters the auditorium, and long before he reaches 
the level of the stage. The drama gains much life 
in this way, and we see what proportions the scenery 
assumes when it thus invades the auditorium above 
the heads of the spectators. Sometimes on these 
flower roads — hana michi, as they are called — a 
struggle takes place, the murderer is creeping slowly, 
or conspirators prepare their strokes and plans before 
arriving on the spot where they are to be carried out, 
and not interfering with the principal action of the 
play which unfolds itself on the stage proper. This 
space, for accessory scenes, avoids improbable situa- 
tions, which the want of brings about on our stage. 
For instance, we see an actor in Europe who does 



The Land o£ the Rising Sun 315 

not know what to do with himself while his assassins 
are arranging to cut his throat. 

Now let us look at the stage closely. First of all 
we observe on one side a little cage or box closed 
with a blind. In that cage a man is seated who is 
not seen but may often be heard. His functions are 
those of the chorus in the Greek tragedy, but is of 
more importance, as he represents the good sense 
and morals of the people, and chiefly explains the 
unfolding of the drama. But this chorus is a 
remnant of the time when a man in a high-pitched 
voice explained to the audience the workings of the 
marionettes. The rhusicians are on one side of the 
stage, and at the most pathetic moments, with rattles, 
they will make all sorts of unearthly noises, and we 
need not add that such music can be understood only 
by the Japanese. Besides the actors you will see on 
the stage strange black-robed figures, with black 
caps, who represent shadows, for no respectable man 
can get rid of his shadow. They sometimes are 
made serviceable acting as "soufileur," or holding a 
light on a long stick to make the actor more visible. 
The mounting of the piece is always very exact. 
The scenery with its decoration goes around on a 
turn-table (mawari butai). This plan has the 
advantage of making the place seem more natural. 
In the drama of the forty-seven ronins they are 
represented as breaking into the house of their 
enemy. Finding the gates closed they begin with 
axes to make a breach in the wall, and with the aid 
of ropes and ladders succeed in scaling it. Then by 
the aid of this turntable we see the inner court and 
its frightened inhabitants struggling with the ronins. 



316 The Land of the Rising Sun 

Some of these mawari biitai have four or six 
divisions, so that changes of scene follow each other 
without interrupting the action. The curtain is 
drawn to one side and ornamented with some boldly 
drawn design with a gigantic inscription. 

The drama in Japan, like the old Greek drama, 
had a religious origin. It is said that in the reign 
of the Emperor Heijo in the province of Yamato, 
when the earth sank and from the precipices arose 
obnoxious gases, the priests, to pacify the gods, 
performed a sacred dance and the exhalations dis- 
appeared. In memory of this event every theatrical 
representation begins with this dance, performed by 
an actor in a priest's garb, carrying a fan, and to the 
accompaniment of melancholy music. 

We will now speak of Japanese acting. As life 
is not made up entirely of conversation, whole hours 
pass in silence, and the Japanese tries to represent 
such scenes and the chorus explains these actions 
without words. If, for instance, some murderer is 
creeping stealthily toward a house the scene passes 
in complete silence; not like with the Italian opera 
singers, who make such a noise nearing the victim, 
that it would arouse the dead. 

The same realism in detail is carried out in regard 
to costumes, and also the inner life of the actor, who 
tries in this way to enter into the spirit of the role 
he plays. For instance, the actor Otowaya, wishing 
to represent a bankrupt merchant who went insane 
from his troubles, adopted the identical life of the 
character, eating very little, being careless in dress, 
not bathing, and being of bad humor, so that his 



The Land of the Rising Sun 317 

family was frightened, thinking that he really had 
lost his mind. 

The same Otowaya was a very severe teacher. It 
is told of him that one young actor, learning to run 
on to the stage, could never satisfy his master and 
decided to abandon the theatre. When he ran on 
for the last time he stopped, breathless with emotion, 
wishing to tell his master all that had been ferment- 
ing in his mind, and as he stood there breathing 
heavily the master went up to him and said, "That 
is perfect; if you do that way you will have great 
success." Sometimes the actors were victims of 
their masterful interpretations, as was the case with 
Ichikawa Ichiso, who, playing the rdle of a pirate, 
was pursuing his father, when a samurai in the 
audience jumped up and gave him a deadly blow 
with his sword. 

It is astonishing that with such realism the men 
should always take the roles of the women, yet the 
well-known Danjuro, at the age of seventy, plays the 
role of a girl of sixteen. There exist now in Japan 
troupes of women, but in these cases the rdles are 
all taken by women. They say that Danjuro is 
preparing his daughters for the stage, to play with 
him, which will be an innovation in the Japanese 
theatre. The actors who take the parts of women 
try in every way to lead women's lives — dress like 
them, wear women's coiffures, do their work, and 
surround themselves with all the refinements of 
woman's life. 

Another thing incompatible with the realism of 
the Japanese stage is their art of declamation. They 
never speak, but make unearthly howls, grimaces, 



318 The Land of the Rising Sun 

distortions, unnatural wails, and the more they rant 
and shriek the more the public is pleased. I remem- 
ber Sado Yako — who by the way is called the 
Japanese Duse, though she never played in Japan, 
but assumed her roles in San Francisco on account 
of the death of an actor — when she played in Wash- 
ington, at the Japanese Legation, audi appeared with 
her hair streaming down her back, her tragic look 
and her face distorted with passion, grimacing 
according to Japanese demands, the majority of the 
European and American public laughed heartily. 
But everything is relative. I know another case 
where a Japanese impressario, profiting by the 
arrival in Tokyo of an Italian troupe, conceived the 
idea of representing Japanese tourists in Europe. 
In Paris they are supposed to be at the Grand Opera. 
When the prima donna appeared and began her 
"fioritures" the Japanese public burst into such un- 
controllable laughter that the play had to be stopped 
at the most interesting point. 

Besides the wild, guttural sounds which the 
Japanese actor uses to the delight of the public, 
there is still another peculiarity pertaining to 
Japanese dramatic art — a realism of which no 
European actor would dream. It may be said that 
blood flows in streams, and literally, as torture, 
hara-kiri, and murder are so vividly presented as 
to make the onlookers' blood curdle. As cruelty 
reigned supreme in those days, the plays are filled 
with scenes of violence. I recall one play in Avhich 
a wife kills her husband to obtain his money for 
her lover. She falls upon him with a knife and 
literally covers him with stabs, meantime sobbing 



The Land of the Rising Sun 319 

and crying that it should be necessary for her to do 
this to save her lover. Of course the idea is stupid, 
but the acting is so realistic that your heart thumps 
and you cannot take your eyes from the dying man 
streaming with blood. You quite forget for the 
moment that these are the tricks of the property 
man and it seems to you that you are witnessing a 
scene in real life. Concerning the character of 
Japanese tragedy and drama, they can more literally 
be called melodramas, as they cannot do without 
their musical accompaniment, the din of the rattle 
being the principal sound. In Japanese tragedies 
the comic scenes alternate with the tragic, and at 
the most pathetic moment a comical incident will 
happen at which the public roars with laughter. 

The merit of these long-drawn dramas is very 
doubtful, and even the Japanese admit that the fault 
of the Japanese drama consists in their superfluous 
cruelty, abundance of unnecessary episodes, and in 
the confusion of ideas of good and evil. The 
Japanese drama is in reality a novel in action, which 
does not confine itself to one generation but can go 
on indefinitely. First appears the grandfather; he 
dies, then follows the son; then the grandson, and 
all these lives are seasoned with numerous comic and 
tragic episodes. This is perhaps life, but not accord- 
ing to the rules of European drama, in which life 
is represented in an abbreviated, conventional form. 
In Europe much is left to the imagination of the 
spectator. In the Japanese drama nothing is left 
unsaid and the action is drawn out endlessly. It is 
curious that the Japanese give only the outlines in 



320 The Land of the Rising Sun 

painting, leaving the rest to be imagined; while in 
Europe it is the drama which is thus treated, giving 
only the principal situations. 

In the most remarkable dramas, like the "Revenge 
of Soga"or the "History of the Forty-seven Renins" 
("Chiusungura"), there is no unity of time, place, 
or action. It is a series of pictures extending over 
a long period. In Chiusungura the first hero dies; 
after him follows another, who ends his existence by 
hara-kiri; his place is taken by a third, and so on. 
Yet in spite of this a Japanese drama is followed 
with interest by the foreigner, owing perhaps to the 
sincerity of sentiment and truthfulness of details and 
customs displayed in it. There are no surprises or 
prearranged situations ; but is that not true to life ? 
I have not yet spoken of the strange confusion of 
ideas about good and evil. The greatest of virtues 
are loyalty and fidelity to the feudal chief (suzerain), 
devotion to parents and justice ; but it is all exagger- 
ated to a degree countenancing even murder in the 
name of these principles. Loyalty to the master 
extends to his son in case of the former's death. 
For instance, an armbearer at the risk of his life 
saves the son of his master, and after many wander- 
ings reaches a place where he finds his wife and son. 
He had thought them killed during the destruction 
of the castle, and their joy at this reunion is past 
description. He tells his wife how he saved the life 
of his prince, and carefully takes the child out of a 
basket such as peddlers in Japan carry. At sight of 
the child the wife is delighted, and begins to caress 
and fondle him, much to the displeasure of her own 



The Land of the Rising Sun 321 

small son, who struggles to^ push away the little 
stranger. The parents try to reason with him, but 
the capricious child seizes his father's sword and 
aims a blow at the baby. Fearing his son's cries will 
arouse people and cause his plans to miscarry, the 
father resolves to sacrifice his boy and slays him. 
The public goes into ecstasies, but you can see that 
the sentiment of loyalty is absurdly exaggerated, as 
it would seem probable that a grown man could 
control the caprices of his child without sacrificing 
his life. 

Another instance is a piece of a historical char- 
acter, "Hosokawa no daruma," where one of the 
vassals throws himself into the fire to save some 
documents belonging to his master. These docu- 
ments, with the signature of the Shogun, proclaim 
the rights and privileges of a certain family over 
feudal possession, and they have to be presented for 
verification at the advent of a new Shogun. The 
vassal finding himself surrounded by flames and the 
saving of the papers hopeless, quickly commits hara- 
kiri, and places the papers in his bowels. He is 
found dead and ordered to be buried with great 
ceremony. At the last moment it is discovered that 
he has committed hara-kiri and the documents come 
to light. 

Still another case. A woman kills the man who 
has saved her life to procure his money for her lover. 

In the historical drama "Sekigahara," not only 
men but women excel in acts of valor and abnega- 
tion. The following is a synopsis of this drama : 



322 The Land o£ the Rising Sun 

ACT I. 

Scene I. — The Castle of lyeyasu at Fushimi, near Kyoto. 

lyej^asu has received news that Uyesngi, the Daimio of 
Echigo, has rebelled against his authority, and at once prepares 
to start for the north iri order to crush his rival. The castle 
is in a state of bustle and confusion owing to the sudden 
preparations necessary for the campaign. lyeyasu and his 
generals appear and hold a council of war, and lyeyasu entrusts 
the charge of the castle during his absence to Torii, one of his 
generals. While the council is still sitting a messenger arrives 
from Otani Giobu, a blind general (who afterwards takes up 
arms against lyeyasu), and Torii is deputed to meet him to 
discuss the business on which he has come. 

Scene 2. — Another part of the castle. 

lyeyasu's soldiers are talking about an order which has been 
circulated that they are to have a feast that evening, and they 
infer from this that the army will start the next day. The 
materials of the feast arrive, and the soldiers find that mochi 
has been given to them instead of sake. While they are 
grumbling over this, Torii, who has finished his interview 
with Otani's messenger, appears and reproaches them for being 
dissatisfied, pointing out that the substitution of mochi for sake 
has been made with the object of preparing them for the hard- 
ships of the campaign on which they are about to enter. 

Scene 3. — lyeyasu's sleeping-apartment in the castle. 

lyeyasu, before retiring to bed, receives Torii, who reports 
to him the result of his interview with Otani's messenger. 
Otani, it appears, has excused himself from attending Iye3rasu 
in his march north on the plea of sickness. lyeyasu declares 
his suspicion that a plot has been formed to attack the castle 
during his absence. Torii assures him that he will defend the 
castle to the death, and the two take leave of one another after 
drinking a parting cup of sake. What lyeyasu had feared 
takes place. Ishida Mitsunari, a vassal of Hidej^ori, who is in 
league with Otani, has formed a plan for attacking' lyeyasu's 
castle at Fushimi as soon as Ij^eyasu is out of reach. Hoso- 
kawa, the Daimio of Etchiu, having followed lyeyasu north 
as one of his generals, Ishida conceives the design of enticing 
Hosokawa's wife and children into the castle of Osaka, where 
Hideyori is residing, hoping that by holding them there as 
hostages he will compel Hosokawa to side with him against 
lyeyasu. 



The Land of the Rising Sun 323 

ACT II. 

Scene I. — The Hosokawa-Yashiki in Osaka. 

A messenger from Isliida arrives at the ashiki and delivers 
a summons to the wife of Hosokawa to repair at once to- the 
castle. Chief Karo, who receives him, endeavors to excuse 
his mistress from complying with the summons, but his argu- 
ments have no effect, and he is told that the order must be 
obeyed before the evening of that day. 

Scene 2. — The interior of the Yashiki. 

Hosokawa's wife, after consultation with her retainers, who 
urge her to evade the summons by immediate flight, announces 
her determination to die with her two children, who appear on 
the stage, sooner than be held as a hostage for her husband, 
and thus serve as the instrument of treachery ; she then calls 
upon Chief Karo to kill her. The latter, finding it impossible 
to dissuade her from her purpose, obeys her orders and then 
commits hara-kiri, after firing a shot of defiance toward the 
gate of the Yashiki, where Ishida's messenger and his attend- 
ants are waiting to escort Hosokawa's wife and children to 
Hideyoshi's castle. 

ACT III. 

Scene. — The camp of Hosokawa at Oyama, a village near 
Utsunomiya. 

A messenger (a karo in disguise) arrives and tells Hosolvawa 
of the death of his wife and children. Soon after another 
messenger arrives with news from lyeyasu that the castle of 
Fushimi has fallen into the hands of Ishida, and that Torii, the 
commander of the garrison, has been killed. 

ACT IV. 

Scene i. — A mountain pass in Mino, where Otani, who, though 

blind, is a distinguished strategist, has gone in 

order to arrange a plan of campaign 

against lyeyasu. 

Otani appears with a small escort and receives a message 
that several daimios upon whose support against lyeyasu, 
Ishida had relied, have in a recent battle turned against the 
latter and defeated him. He likewise hears that lyeyasu has 
made a rapid march back toward Kyoto. Finding himself 
surrounded on all sides, Otani commits suicide, asking one of 
his followers, who performs the office of kaishaku, to bury his 
head in order that it may not fall into the hands of his enemies. 



324 The Land o£ the Rising Sun 

Scene 2. — A pass in the same province. 
A skirmish takes place between lyeyasu's troops and the 
small force of Otani, in which the latter's men are all killed, 
with the exception of the retainer who has carried off his 
master's head. 

ACT V. 

Scene. — The bank of a stream. 

Otani's retainer having buried his master's head in some 
reeds close to the river, is surprised and killed by Todo, one 
of lyeyasu's soldiers. Before dying he asks Todo to respect 
his master's wishes and to take only his, the retainer's, head to 
Jw^eyasu's camp. 

ACT VI. 

Scene. — The camp of lyeyasu at Sekigahara, a village close to 
Nagahama on Lake Biwa. 

The battle is over and lyeyasu and his generals are discuss- 
ing the details of the fight. Todo presents himself and shows 
the head of Otani's retainer, explaining that Otani had com- 
mitted suicide and that his retainer, having buried his head, 
had asked him not to disinter it. lyeyasu, who up to that 
moment had not heard of Otani's death, is satisfied with this 
explanation and rewards Todo with the present of a spear. 

ACT VII. 

Scene i. — Hills near Sekigahara. 

It is night, and Ishida is represented in the act of flight after 
the battle. He is being guided to a temple, where he proposes 
to change his dress and assume the disguise of a priest. 

Scene 2. — The temple grounds. 

Ishida is received by an old priest, who assists him to dis- 
guise himself. He then resumes his flight. 

Scene 3. — A road near the temple. 

Ishida is met and recognized by a hunter, who was formerly 
in his service ; he accepts the hunter's offer to conceal him in 
his hut. 

Scene 4. — The hunter's house. 

The hunter's daughter is receiving a visit from one of the 
villagers who is courting her. The villager takes his depart- 
ure, and almost immediately Ishida and the hunter arrive, and 
are received by the latter's daughter, to whom her father ex- 
plains the position of their guest. Ishida having retired to 



The Land of the Rising Sun 325 

rest, two villagers appear, one of whom is the girl's lover, and 
after telling the hunter that a reward has been offered for the 
capture of Ishida, insist on searching th© house in order to 
see if he is concealed there. The hunter pacifies them for the 
time being by giving his daughter to the man who is courting 
her ; but the girl shortly afterwards returns in great haste with 
the news that Ishida's pursuers have obtained from the villagers 
a clue to his hiding-place, and are coming to seize him. 

ACT VIII. 

Scene. — A mountain-pass by moonlight. 

Ishida having been forced to take flight again, has retired to 
a lonely spot and is about to commit hara-kiri, when he is 
surprised by a party of lyeyasu's soldiers, and after a desperate 
resistance is overpowered and taken prisoner. 

Of the actors who formed in olden times a caste 
and whose occupation descended from father to son, 
the best known is Ishikawa Danjtiro, from a family 
of actors. The present Danjuro is the ninth of the 
name. Among the actors there is a certain aristoc- 
racy, to which may be said to belong Danjuro and 
Kikugoro. In former times a star received one 
thousand yen salary ; now shikawa Danjuro receives 
five thousand yen for three or four weeks, and his 
income is greater than that of a Prime Minister. 

I should have begun the chapter on dramatic art 
with the pantomime representations called "No," as 
they have existed from time immemorial, and 
having a religious character the actors had to fast 
and pray before the play. Like the Greek drama, 
"No" has the three unities, besides the chorus and 
masks. What is it in substance? There are long, 
slow recitatives sung by the chorus and the principal 
actors to the accompaniment of suave and mon- 
otonous music. The "No" is the only form of 
theatrical performance given in the palace, and on 



326 The Land of the Rising Sun 

these occasions foreign diplomats are invited, and 

most of them agree that it is the most tiresome thing 

in the world. Rich costumes, monotonous dances, | 

slow movements, music which sounds like the tuning 

of instruments mean nothing to the European. As 

for the language, it is so archaic that not one 

Japanese fully understands it, although it has for 

them a mysterious meaning incomprehensible to the 

European. Therefore do not let us judge it from 

the European standpoint. 

In the Far East (February, 1898) there is a 
poetical account of a "No," called "The Dress of a 
Fairy." The scene, according to the chorus, takes 
place on Tsuruga Bay at the foot of Fuji Yama. A 
fisherman in a long recitative describes the beauty 
of the spot, the quiet sea, the soft moonlight, and 
his soul is filled with rapture. Suddenly an aromatic 
breeze arises and he hears strains of music. Looking 
up, he sees hanging on a tree the beautiful garment 
of a fairy. He climbs the tree and takes possession 
of the robe, when suddenly he hears a voice saying, 
"I beg you to give me back my wings," The fisher- 
man answers, "I have found them and will keep 
them." After a long dialogue between the fairy and 
the fisherman he agrees to give her back her wings 
on condition that she dance before him. She dances, 
almost forgetting when to stop, until she begins to 
ascend, supported by her magic wings, and finally 
disappears into the clouds above Fuji Yama. 



Chapter XXVIII 

Architecture — Art — Sculpture — Painting — Decorative art 
(ceramic, enamel, bronze). 

"J^P^nese genius attains perfection," says Cham- 
berlain, "in little things;" and what wonderful 
artistic sentiment is displayed in the small ivory 
figures (netzke), in tsubos and other ornamentations 
of the sword. But architecture demands grandeur 
and beauty on a large scale, and we must admit that 
Japan has not produced anything which can compare 
with the Parthenon, the Taj Mahal, the Cathedral 
in Milan, Saint Peters in Rome, or Saint Sophia in 
Constantinople. It is possible that we cannot appre- 
ciate Nikko or Shiba at their true value. I have 
remarked before that the Japanese building itself 
never makes an impression. It is the detail in 
decoration which is artistic. In the temple, which 
in itself is a shed on piles, with a massive roof, you 
admire the beautiful carving, the gold ornaments 
and so on. The interior arrangements of every 
building, temple, house and feudal palace give alike 
the impression of a bare barn. 

A bird's-eye view of a Japanese town gives noth- 
ing artistic. It is simply a monotonous collection 
of sheds and booths, with not even a tower; and if 
there is a pagoda in Chinese style it is hidden among 
trees. Speaking of the perfection in details attained 



328 The Land of the Rising Sun 

by the Japanese, there is another valuable trait, 
which bespeaks their artistic nature. Although they 
have produced nothing original in their architecture, 
having copied Chinese, they understood how to 
create for each temple particularly enchanting sur- 
roundings, so that it is difficult to decide whether 
you admire most the magnificent trees, the small 
streams with bridges crossing them, the view of the 
surrounding country, or the temple itself, which is 
in perfect harmony, making one whole with nature. 

Can one speak of Japanese sculpture? If this 
word means to you the beautiful creations of Greek 
genius, then, no. With the exception of several 
Buddhas cast in bronze, and a stone figure of Buddha 
on the road from Ashinoyu to Hakone, Japan has 
very little statuary, for you cannot call the monstrous 
figures of "Nio," the guardian figures at Nara, 
statues. They can inspire terror but they cannot be 
called works of art. Take for instance the statues 
of the Buddhist saints — they represent no beauty of 
form; but this is another matter. Like Byzantine 
art, the Buddhist tries to convey the meaning that 
the soul is greater than the body, and the more 
hideous the bodily covering the higher the soul. 
Consequently these statues of the Buddhists saints 
are simply monstrosities. 

We have the statue of lyeyasu in Shiba, but 
formerly the statues of great men were very rare. 
The Japanese sculptor par excellence is Hidari 
Jingoro, born in 1594, although he has left nothing 
excepting some figures of animals, like the sleeping 
cat at Nikko, and two elephants. His horse, it is 
said, was so lifelike that it began grazing. We have 



The Land of the Rising Sun 329 

already given with regard to Jingoro the Japanese 
version of the myth of Pygmahon and Galathea. 
The strength of the Japanese does not He in plastic 
beauty, but in small figures (netzke), which are 
astonishing by their vitality and inimitable humor. 
The comic vein in the Japanese is very strong and 
he quickly seizes the ludicrous traits of human 
nature, and with what marvelous perfection of detail 
he reproduces them. 

In the dim past of its history, Japanese art was 
wholly under the influence of China and Korea, from 
whence Japan received the Buddhist teaching. The 
most noted artist of that time was Kanaoka (the 
middle of the ninth century). The greater part of 
his works were destroyed by fire and only drawings 
of a religious character (Buddhist) have remained. 
This artist distinguished himself by making portraits 
of the Chinese sages. About the eleventh century 
Japanese art developed in two directions — one school 
following strictly the Chinese tradition, another 
taking its subjects from life, principally from the 
court sphere, and is distinguished by its mannerism 
and conventionalities. In the history of the National 
school of Karo there are six periods. The first 
period, represented by Motonubu, distinguished itself 
by its archaism and strict working out of details. 
Eitoku, of the second period, was remarkable for 
the strength and largeness of his drawings. In the 
third period, under the artist Taniu, the school dis- 
tinguished itself by its individuality and elegance. 
From this time begins the decadence of the school. 
Speaking of art in Japan, we cannot bring to bear 
upon it our European ideas and we must not forget 



330 The Land o£ the Rising Sun 

the particular conditions amidst which it was devel- 
oped. The artists of former times were in the 
position of artisans, generally in the pay of the 
Shogun, or some other feudal lord. The highest 
class in the state was the warrior class, having right 
to carry arms ; the second class was the agricultural ; 
the third, artisans and painters; the lowest class of 
all being merchants. Any one wishing to dedicate 
himself to painting became an apprentice of a 
celebrated artist, who generally, as I said before, was 
in the pay of the Shogun or feudals ; and during the 
apprenticeship the pupil was in the position of a 
vassal. He was apprenticed at the age of fourteen 
or fifteen years. Another peculiarity was that the 
children of merchants were not received in a studio. 
The reception of an apprentice had a solemn char- 
acter. The pupil was obliged to present the master 
with five fans and eighty sen, to the son of the master 
three fans and eighty sen, and the same to the 
mistress of the house, with twenty sen for the 
purchase of playthings for the children. Besides 
all this he gave to his comrades three gallons of rice 
brandy and thirty hiki for fish food. 

The pupils of the school of Kano were obliged to 
cut all relations with the Chinese school and to 
refrain from studying genre drawing. Drawing 
from nature was not demanded and in the beginning 
tliey simply copied the models of Tsuneobu. These 
drawings, to the number of sixty, were bound in book 
form, several copies of which were in each school. 
Copying one drawing several times, the pupil learned 
the minutest details of it, after which he brought his 
work to the master; then he did the same thing with 



The Land of the Rising Sun 331 

the following drawing, until he finished the five 
volumes. This work was continued daily from 
sunrise to sunset during a year and a half, after 
which the pupil began the twelve pictures of flowers 
and birds of Tsunenobu, on which he spent another 
half year, after which the work became varied and 
he copied the drawings of Monobu, Eitoku, Riumin, 
and other Japanese and Chinese artists, and also 
began to use colors, assisting the master for two or 
three years more in illuminating drawings. By this 
work the pupil freed himself from paying his board. 
After seven or eight years more he had the right to 
use one of the characters in the name of his teacher. 
For instance, the last Kano Hogai, the pupil of 
Masanobu, had the right to sign himself Masa-michi. 
Only at the age of thirty years did the pupil finish 
his course. Presenting his teacher with two baskets 
of fish, or one yen and sixty sen, and other presents 
to his comrades, he was free to open his own studio. 

Such a course could only tend to kill all originality, 
and the pupil to the end of his life copied old models ; 
yet there were some strong natures, who in spite of 
this oppression created works of art. Among such 
artists we can mention Korin, born in 1661. He 
painted screens, kakemono (rolls), and his birds and 
flowers were particularly beautiful ; but he surpassed 
himself in his drawings on lacquer-ware. 

Such a protest against all traditions was expressed 
by the popular school in which the celebrated Hoksai 
came to the fore. This brilliant artist was dis- 
tinguished for his inexhaustible humor and the 
richness and variety of his subjects. At the time 
when otlier celebrated artists, like Okio and Kiosai, 



332 The Land o£ the Rising Sun 

studied to the minutest detail birds, monkeys, tigers, 
and flowers, Hoksai freely took scenes from popular 
life, finding- in it an inexhaustible source of inspira- 
tion, and the most comical traits of human nature 
did not escape his acute power of observation. 

Speaking of Japanese artists we must not forget 
the tragic fate of Watanabe Kasan, who, having 
occasion to see pictures by European masters, appre- 
ciated at once the merits of European painting 
in regard to chiaro oscuro and perspective. But 
Watanabe lived in a hard, oppressive period, when 
the smallest hint at anything foreign was considered 
a crime, and very soon the hundred-voiced rumor of 
public opinion proclaimed him a dangerous inno- 
vator, and he was compelled to commit hara-kiri in 
1840. I have still to mention the distinguishing 
peculiarities of Japanese paintings. First of all, I 
cannot agree with those who go into ecstasies and 
find in Japanese art some new revelation. We often 
hear of the "rise of Japanese art," and forget that 
this flourishing period was at the same time that 
Europe had Raphael, Michel Angelo, Leonardo da 
Vinci; and what did the Japanese present in com- 
parison with these giants? — a few badly drawn 
Buddhist saints and Chinese sages. You have only 
to look at them to note the ignorance of perspective, 
heads out of all proportion with bodies, and many 
other shortcomings. Flowers, birds, fish, and 
animals, on the other hand, are very lifelike and well 
drawn. During my wanderings in Japan, and 
especially in Kyoto, I remember the artistically 
finished storks and chrysanthemums, so vivid in 
coloring, and cherry trees full of bloom; but while 



The Land of the Rising Sun 333 

all this is very good as decorative art, like drawings 
on screens and sliding walls, no one would exchange 
any of them for a Raphael. But people will say 
that you must not make the same demands on 
Japanese art which you would make on European 
art. We must not forget that Japanese art developed 
independently of Europe and followed its original 
way. The Japanese artist was bound by tradition 
and was obliged to follow blindly the teachings 
inherited from the great masters. The least devia- 
tion from these models or the slightest flight of 
imagination was counted a crime. If there was no 
cloud in a landscape it was a great mistake to put one 
in. The moon must always reflect in the lake, but 
the reflection of trees or mountains is not always 
admissible. Yet in spite of these fetters the Japanese 
have accomplished marvels, overcoming the strict 
demands of tradition with cleverness. Take, for 
instance, the Japanese landscape in which the 
Japanese individuality expresses itself so character- 
istically. In spite of lack of perspective and the 
knowledge of chiaro oscuro, these drawings give the 
impression of extraordinary artistic productions; 
they are enlivened by such feeling, poetical beauty, 
and contain such strength. Certainly they are not 
finished, like landscapes by our artists. They are 
merely sketches, thrown on paper or silk with the 
audacious brush of the artist, a few strokes repre- 
senting a tempest, rain and clouds, through which 
stand out rocks of weird form, a poor village, a 
crooked pine, and all represented with such realism 
that in spite of yourself you stand in admiration 
before such a wonderful interpretation of nature. 



334 The Land o£ the Rising Sun 

At the time when many connoisseurs in Europe 
were enraptured with Japanese art, the Japanese 
themselves, on the contrary, were seeking ideas 
in European art. We know ahxady the case of 
Watanabe Kasan, who, remaining true to his 
traditions, yet found that it was necessary to borrow 
many things from Europe. Others after the 
Restoration went even farther, and began painting 
in oils quite in European style. Instead of Kake- 
monos they produced real pictures in gold frames, 
quite like one finds in European galleries. At an 
exposition in Kyoto, of which I have spoken before, 
there was a picture gallery which for a moment made 
me think I had been transported to Europe. The 
impression was soon dissipated upon closer inspec- 
tion of these coarse daubs. Battle-pieces certainly 
occupied a great place in this exhibition, and the 
heroism of Japan was depicted in all its glory. You 
will see, for instance, a little Japanese piercing 
through with his bayonet several Chinese at once. 
The battle-pieces are either imitations of European 
productions and models, or if they are original they 
are very poor in conception. For instance, here are 
six Chinamen, killed in battle, lying side by side in 
a perfectly regular row. Portrait painting flourishes 
also. There is a portrait of the Imperial prince in 
all his regalia. You may not know that the prince 
commands a regiment, but the artist Matsuoka, to 
relieve any doubt in your mind, has painted beside 
the prince a lot of toy soldiers. The idea in a picture 
by Matsui pleased me more than any other. A 
mother with her son and daughter receive the news 
of the death of her husband on the battlefield. The 



The Land of the Rising Sun 335 

mother and son stoically support the blow, but the 
little daughter does not control herself and is crying 
bitterly. This is psychologically true. The Japanese 
will always speak with a smile of the death of their 
nearest parents or of any misfortune. Last, though 
not least, we have arrived before the picture by 
Kuroda which raised such a storm among Japanese 
critics. Why? Kuroda studied in Paris and con- 
ceived the idea of exhibiting the nude figure of a 
European woman. We know that the nude in 
Japan presents nothing shocking, so why all this 
fuss about that picture by Kuroda, which produced 
such a scandal that the public demanded its removal. 
Kuroda certainly became famous through it and his 
picture was the "clou" of the exhibition. There 
were several examples of the impressionist style, and 
the Japanese certainly outstripped their teachers, 
making blue trees, red water, and lilac dogs. 

From all this it is easy to see that Japanese art is 
in a transition state. On one hand the artists copy 
the old masters and give us, according to a certain 
pattern, storks, cats and tigers; on the other hand 
there is an effort to assimilate European art, and if 
the first efforts which I saw in Kyoto were not 
successful, later results were simply marvelous. 
Two years ago, in Washington, I saw an exhibition 
by Japanese landscape artists and could not believe 
my eyes. At first I thought that the pictures were 
colored photographs, so distinct was every detail; 
but on closer examination I found it was the new 
method of daubing ; but with what perfection it was 
done, and what wonderful effects it produced ! We 



336 The Land o£ the Rising Sun 

must remember that this is only the beginning. The 
Japanese are first of all artists, and if they formerly 
slavishly copied Chinese, once freed from these 
fetters they will assert themselves. As regards the 
understanding and close relationship with nature, 
this sentiment is more highly developed in the 
Japanese than in the other nation. It seems to me 
that the Japanese will develop on new European 
lines landscape and genre art, something like the 
Dutch school. The artistic sentiment of a people 
cannot suddenly disappear without reason, and most 
Japanese are themselves convinced that there is no 
return to the old Chinese art. 

The slavish copying of old models will remain in 
the decorative art, through which the Japanese justly 
became famous ; but even in this, inexorable time has 
left its seal. At present who will make netzke, 
which are necessary attributes of Japanese life, and 
who needs artistic sword hilts, when the army is 
reformed on European lines and arms are turned 
out cheaper from the manufactories? All these 
small chefs-d'oeuvre will be made later only for 
export to Europe and America, until the time when 
they also will be turned out by machinery. For 
already where is the artist who will give a whole 
year to the decoration of a sword hilt ? You cannot 
find him. 

The result will be the same as we have seen with 
the export of Japanese porcelain, the merits of which 
deteriorate each year. But the Japanese gain in 
quantity what they lose in quality. Where are the 
days when for a piece of Ninsei porcelain (the 
golden age of Japanese ceramic art) a thousand gold 



The Land of the Rising Sun 337 

pieces would be paid, to say nothing of the sacrifice 
of men's lives? This porcelain was white with a 
bluish tint, very hard and smooth. For those who 
care to look closer into Japanese ceramic art I would 
recommend Rein ("Japan," pp. 538-582), Chamber- 
lain ("Things Japanese"), and Gonse ("L'Art de 
Japon"). For my part I have made my remarks on 
Japanese porcelain during the account of my visit to 
different places, and I will not repeat them now. I 
will only state that Japanese ceramic art began in 
1600 and reached its highest perfection from 1750 
to 1830. The black and brown tea-pots called "seto- 
mono" (things from Seto), of the thirteenth century, 
and the imitations of the Chinese blue are highly 
prized by Japanese amateurs, and are used for the 
ceremony of the Cha-noyu. They represent, how- 
ever, but small interest from the European point of 
view. Like all the arts, ceramic was taken from 
China and Korea, and one must say that the Japanese 
have never succeeded in producing the blue "sous 
couverte" which distinguishes the Chinese porcelain, 
and also the Japanese have never reached the perfec- 
tion in glazing of the Chinese. 

Bronze was borrowed from China, and to the 
present day is called Chinese metal ; but we must say 
that the Japanese have attained a high degree of 
perfection in this art. We have already spoken of 
the bronze Buddha of Kamakura. In ordinary life 
you will see only bronze vases, incense burners, and 
hibachi used. At the present time much bronze- 
work is done for export, with dragons and extra- 
ordinary designs. The masters of this art prepare 
the object a cire perdue. They form the wax model 



338 The Land of the Rising Sun 

simply with their hands, after whicli they cover it 
with clay, then add to it a thicker layer of clay, then 
dry it in the fire and the wax trickles out drop by 
drop. Finally the metal is poured into this form, 
which is broken off with a hammer when the metal 
is cold. Thus of the bronze objects made in Japan 
there is only one of a kind, and if you have a beau- 
tiful vase you know that you cannot duplicate it. 

I have also spoken of lacquer and cloisonne in my 
chapter on Kyoto, and one must see them in the 
country to understand them. The best proof of how 
taste can be cultivated is that the tourist who arrives 
in Japan buys indiscriminately all sorts of art 
treasures, which after he remains in the country 
some time he throws out of the window. With the 
cheap fabrication of articles made for export the 
good things grow rarer and rarer every year, and 
the Japanese will one day have to study their chefs- 
d'oeuvre in European museums, as they are now only 
preserved in the palaces and aristocratic families of 
Japan. 



PART FOURTH 

ECONOMICAL AND FINANCIAL SITUA- 
TION OF JAPAN. 

Chapter XXIX 

Agriculture — Forestry — Fisheries — Mineral wealth. 

Notwithstanding its sudden growth in manufac- 
tories, Japan still remains an agricultural country. 
By the last statistics about 56 per cent, of the pro- 
duction of Japan, or half a billion yen (yen is equal 
to 50 cents gold), belong- to agriculture, 36 per cent, 
to manufactures, 5 per cent, to fisheries, 2 per cent, 
to mining. 

According to the official reports of 1898, all the 
land belonging to private persons and corporations 
and paying taxes amounted to 33,545,710 acres, 
of which 12,680,907 were under cultivation and 
18,125,546 were covered with forests. Farming in 
Japan is on a very small scale. The holdings are 
generally not more than two and a half acres, and 
a farm of ten acres is considered very large. Of 
course there exist farmers who own as much as two 
hundred and fifty acres. Those do not generally 
work the land themselves, but rent it out in small 
plots, receiving an income in money or produce. 
The typical Japanese farmer cultivates about five 



340 The Land of the Rising Sun 

acres. He is counted well-to-do, has a house with 
five rooms, and a barn, besides hiring one laborer. 

The cultivation of the ground is in every sense 
minute and thorough. It is worked up with a small 
plough, not differing much from the one used in 
ancient Egypt, then it is mellowed with a rake and 
shovel until there is not a lump left on the field. 
When the earth is thus powdered, so to speak, the 
field is put under water, after which young rice 
seedlings are planted. This work is done by women. 
The fields are continually weeded and manured. 
One can say that nothing is thrown away in Japan. 
Horse manure is carefully collected in baskets on 
the streets and high roads and brought to the fields. 
There is a regular business in cities and villages of 
collecting human excrement and saving it in special 
reservoirs. The village inhabitants buy from the 
cities all the contents of the cesspools and carefully 
preserve them in reservoirs as a treasure, where 
they are mixed with decayed straw. One must see, 
although it is not appetizing, a whole flotilla of flat- 
boats going from the Sumida-Gawa in Tokyo into 
the adjoining canals, where great crowds of peasants 
are waiting with scoops to collect this liquid fertil- 
izer, which they carry off to their fields. 

The Japanese, as a rule, does not fertilize the 
entire field, but merely the root of the plant or the 
grain itself, and varies it according to the nature of 
the grain, employing ashes, fish fertilizer, straw, 
decayed bean, mustard or rape leaves, lime or 
phosphates. 

When the rice is ripe the water is drained off the 
field. The harvesting is done from the middle of 



The Land of the Rising Sun 341 

September to October. Sometimes an acre of ground 
will yield from fifty to sixty bushels of rice. There 
is one kind of rice, called mountain rice, which does 
not need irrigation. The thrashing is done in quite 
a primitive way with a flail or, as I have seen it 
done, the ears are pounded with a small hammer. 

After a short rest the husbandman prepares his 
plot in November for sowing in small beds of wheat, 
barley, and mustard, and generously manures the 
whole. It would be interesting to note the average 
business of a well-to-do farmer owning five acres of 
land. 

INCOME. 

Thirty-five bushels of rice (the minimum) . . 140 yen 

Twelve bushels of wheat 54 " 

Other products 10 " 

Total 204 yen 

EXPENDITURES. 

Taxes 30 yen 

Wages of one laborer 40 " 

Fertilizers 20 " 

Total go yen 

Thus leaving a clear income of one hundred and 
fourteen yen, or fifty-seven dollars gold. 

As we have said before, the owner of five acres 
is considered well-to-do, but there are many — nearly 
three millions, or the fourth part of the agricultural 
population — who do not possess so much. Another 
inconvenience of Japanese farming is that the fields 
are widely dispersed in small plots and much of the 
farmer's time is spent in going from one plot to 
another. 



342 The Land of the Rising Sun 

Until the year 1873 the small property was pre- 
dominant in Japan, as all the land de jure was con- 
sidered to belong to the Mikado, and the farmers 
were looked upon as holding it for a certain time. 
From 1873 private property was recognized by the 
state as such, and the owners of rice fields had the 
right to sell and mortgage their lands. This brought 
a great change in farm lands, of which many in 
thirty years passed from small farmers to great land 
owners, and now two-thirds of the tillers of the soil 
do not own their land, but rent it from large land 
owners. We can say that of 5,500,000 families of 
agriculturists 3,000,000 are owners of the land and 
2,500,000 rent it. This diminution of small pro- 
prietors is ruinous to the prosperity of Japan, as 
the large land owners do not improve agricultural 
methods, letting their properties out in small plots, 
and preferring to live on their income in cities. Of 
the agricultural products, rice occupies the first place. 
In 1890 the country yielded 43,037,807 kokus (one 
koku is equal to 182 litres or quarts) ; in 1900, 
41,465,127 kokus. One can see by these statistics 
that the production of rice remains about stationary. 

If we examine the tables of imports and exports 
we can see that rice, which formerly was the prin- 
cipal product of export, at present is exported only 
for eight million yen and imported for nine. 

In 1900 Japan exported 4,233,860 koku of wheat, 
8,656,404 kokus of barley, and 7,496,919 kokus of 
rye. 

The prices fluctuated. For one koku of rice eight 
to nine yen was paid; wheat, from three to four 
yen; barley, from two to three yen. Besides Japan 



The Land o£ the Rising Sun 343 

produces many kinds of beans, potatoes, sweet po- 
tatoes, lotus, and many other things. 

The sweet potato named satsumo imo, or satsumo 
potato, having an abundance of sugar, is produced 
in great quantities, about 567,000,000 kwamme (a 
kwamme is equal to eight and a half English 
pounds). 

Other sources of revenue are tea, cotton, silk, and 
sugar. In 1898 there were produced 8,445,726 
kwamme of tea, exported principally to America. 
In 1900 the export amounted to 9,000,000 yen. 

Silk in 1900 was exported to the value of 48,000,- 
000 yen, while on the other hand Japan imports for 
her factories, cocoons and raw silks to the amount 
of 2,500,000 yen. 

The cotton produced is insufficient for home con- 
sumption, and Japan buys from the. United States 
and other countries to the extent of 59,000,000 yen. 

Only a third of the sugar necessary for the needs 
of the country is produced in Japan ; the rest comes 
from China and other places. 

Fruit trees, which were formerly used for deco- 
ration only, now give a revenue. Apples are ex- 
ported from Yezo and oranges are exported to 
Siberia and America. 

Japan lately has been cultivating tobacco, and 
even exporting it in moderate c[uantities. 

Medicinal herbs, roots, and plants are numerous 
in Japan (ginseng, ginger, cinnamon, etc.), to say 
nothing of camphor, which is exported to the 
amount of 1,500,000 yen. 

Horse raising has made no special progress since 
1879, when there were 1,454,823 head, and in 1900, 



344 The Land of the Rising Sun 

1,561,388 head. In 1900 there were in the country 
1,254,265 head of horned cattle. 

Although one-quarter of Japan is covered with 
dense forests, there is almost no revenue from this 
direction. In Prussia forestry gives a revenue of 
twelve million, in Japan scarcely half a million. 

The fisheries, together with the agriculture, play 
a great role in the national income, if we remember 
that 700,000 families are occupied in this industry. 
The annual earnings of such families are on an aver- 
age of thirty to forty yen. No wonder they live 
in poor huts and eat only potatoes and fish. Those 
who go to the north or to Korea are better off, as 
they gain from eighty to a hundred yen a year. 

Japan, which is rich in grain, cannot complain 
of lack of mineral wealth. Let us begin with the 
coal, which in 1874 was not exported, though 390,- 
000 tons were extracted. In 1899 the output was 
6,696,023 tons, and the export amounted to 3,000,- 
000 tons from the mines. In 1900 the output was 
7,400,000 tons. In 1904 coal was exported for the 
sum of 20,023,103 yen. The coal wealth of Japan, 
according to the calculations of mining engineers, 
is distributed as follows : The mine of Miike con- 
tains 150,000,000 tons; Karatzu, 330,000,000 tons; 
Hiramo, 70,000,000 tons; Toyomai, 670,000,000 
tons; Amakusa, 20,000,000 tons; Dorunai, 12,000,- 
000 tons. Besides these, there is the Takashima 
mine with a yearly output of half a million tons. 
These mines generally do not look like most mines in 
the black country. Let us take for instance Mikke, 
situated in a beautiful country near Nagasaki, on 
the sea shore, covering a space of sixteen thousand 



The Land of the Rising Sun 345 

acres and having eight thousand miners. The prin- 
cipal layer of coal is twenty feet thick. The mine is 
lighted by electricity and the pump for taking the 
water from a depth of 900 feet is said to be the 
greatest in the world. Petroleum found in Echigo 
was a few years ago an unimportant product, but 
now gives 18,000,000 gallons of naphtha and 1,349,- 
125 gallons of kerosene. 

As for iron, Japan has to import it to the amount 
of 1,000,000 yen. More successful is the export 
of copper for the sum of 12,863,927 yen, going prin- 
cipally to Hongkong, China, and Great Britain. 

The output of gold was 309,145 mommes (120 
momme is equal to an English pound), and silver, 
16,118,242 momme. 

Among the minerals of Japan we must not forget 
magnese, antimony, and sulphur, which is taken 
from the volcanoes to the amount of 2,762,348 
kwamme, and salt, which reaches about 1,000,000 
tons. 



Chapter XXX 



Manufactures and trade — Banking and stock corporations- 
Railroads — Merchant fleet. 



In the course of the last ten years, as shown by 
statistics, the economical situation of Japan has 
steadily improved. The growth of the material 
forces is shown by the increase of foreign trade 
and quick development of shipping and manufactur- 
ing. It is not long since Japan economically was 
entirely dependent on foreigners for armaments, 
machines, ships, and manufactures, and now she 
possesses a model admiralty in Yokoska, where they 
build ironclads; and magnificent docks in Kure, 
Yokoska, and Nagasaki, where foreign ships go 
in for repairs. Also in an astonishingly short time 
have risen gas factories, glass, paper, cotton, match 
and silk factories, breweries, electric lighting, and 
other manufactures perfected by European methods. 

Thirty years ago the Japanese did not know what 
a factory was and her industry was on a small scale, 
but in the last ten years their number has steadily 
increased. In 1892 the increase amounted to 500 
factories, in 1893 to 833 factories, in 1894 to 848 
factories, in 1895 to 790 factories. In 1897 the 
total number of factories was 7,222, with from 
five hundred to seven hundred million yen capital. 



The Land of the Rising Sun 347 

In 1883 there was a total of 1,883 horse-power, and 
in 1893, 63,500; of that number Osaka alone uses 
12,000 horse-power. 

The cotton industry met with the most rapid suc- 
cess. Only in 1884 all the cotton goods used in 
Japan were imported from England and India, while 
at present Osaka is justly called the Japanese Man- 
chester and Japanese cotton goods successfully com- 
pete with English wares in China. To clearly 
understand the growth of this industry we will state 
that in 1886 there were eight cotton mills with 
65,500 spindles, and in 1901 there were seventy 
cotton mills with 1,148,545 spindles; of these the 
factory in Tokyo has 45,000 spindles with 3,000 
workmen. The income from one spindle amounted 
to 3,661 yen. These figures may not be quite exact, 
but one needs only to glance over the list of the com- 
panies to see that the dividend is from 6 to 15 and 
20 per cent., and there are some which amount to 
35 to 50 per cent. Lately the Japanese industries 
have been suffering from over-production. The 
large dividends explain the mushroom growth of 
numerous stock companies, especially since the Chi- 
nese war with Japan. The number of stock compa- 
nies in 1901 amounted to 2,169, repi'esenting a capi- 
tal of 340,123,000 yen. These figures cannot be 
implicitly relied on, as much of this stock was 
watered. 

In 1 89 1 the cotton and silk mills gave 30,000,000 
yen, and in 1900, 170,000,000 yen. Cotton yarn 
was exported from Japan in 1900 to the amount of 
20,000,000 5^en, cotton goods to the amount of 
8,674,540 yen. 



348 The Land of the Rising Sun 

In the match industry Japan has reached such 
results that no country can compete with her. A 
gross (144 boxes) is sold at about nine cents, while 
at retail two boxes are sold for less than one-eighth of 
a cent. The export of matches in 1900 amounted to 
5,760,860 yen, and even at the present time Japanese 
matches are being used in America. Besides these, 
Japan exports porcelain articles for two and a half 
million yen and matting and straw braid for seven 
and a half million yen. In a word, we can state 
that in 1872 the export of manufactured articles 
amounted to 500,000 yen, while now it amounts to 
50,000,000, or 80 per cent, of the exports. 

If we take into consideration the cheapness of 
labor and that raw materials and coal are found at 
hand, there can be no doubt as to the future rapid 
growth of Japanese industries, and she will know 
also how to ward off foreign wares by a protective 
tariff. Even in the industrial sphere Japan will 
attain her aim, "J^P^^ ^^^ the Japanese," Before 
we finish we will glance at the list of products of 
different prefectures (ken) of the country. 

Yamanashi Stuffs, glassware, confectionery. 

Ishikawa Porcelain, lacquer-ware, stuffs, matting. 

Akita Stuffs, lacquer-ware. 

Kumamoto Lacquer-ware, stuffs, faience, tobacco. 

Tatori Stuffs. 

Aichi Stuffs, porcelain, string instruments, faience, 

cloisonne. 

Tochiji Stuffs. 

Shiga Silk crape, canned goods, gelatine. 

Hiogo Furniture, stuffs, table porcelain, butter, 

faience. 

Gifu Stone china, porcelain, sake, 

Wakayama Lacquer, flannels. 

Kagoshima Faience, tobacco, porcelain, stuffs. 



The Land of the Rising Sun 349 

Yamaguchi Mosquito nets, cotton crape. 

Saitama Stuffs, tea. 

Hokkaido (Yezo) . Sake, sugar, canned goods, dried fish, sea 

colewort. 

Hiroshima Stuffs. 

Iwate Bronze, ironwork, confectionery. 

Niigata Stuffs, lacquer, confectionery. 

Nagasaki Porcelain. 

Miyachi Objects of petrified wood. 

Fukuoka Hakata material. 

Fukui Mosquito nets, lacquer, crystal. 

Shizuoka Tea, musical instruments. 

Osaka (City) Toilet articles, furniture, pickles. 

Kochi Corals, paper. 

City of Kyoto. ... Stuffs, umbrellas, confectionery, cloisonne, 

incrustations, embroideries, toys. 

Miye Banco, faience, stuffs, paper. 

Chiba Poultry, rabbits. 

Kanagawa Stuffs, umbrellas, confectionery, cloisonne, 

beer. 

Ibaraki Stuffs, beer, poultry. 

Tokyo Furniture, funeral articles, dishes, toys, 

cloisonne, lacquer, confectionery. 

Fukushima Lacquer, silk. 

Gumma Stuffs. 

Banking was introduced in Japan in 1872 and 
seven years later there were 153 banks. In 1890 
there were 353 banks with a capital of 82,000,000 
yen, and in 1899 there were 2,105 banks with a capi- 
tal of 288,000,000 yen. 

All these banks give good profits. Money is 
loaned at 9 to 12 per cent, and 7 per cent, is given 
on deposits. 

The building of railroads has gone forward 
rapidly enough, when you consider that the first 
road from Tokyo to Yokohama, of 18 miles, was 
built only in 1872. In 1900 there were 1,120 miles 
of government roads and 3,290 miles built by pri- 
vate companies. The income from the government 



350 The Land o£ the Rising Sun 

roads amounts to 6,000,000 yen, and from the pri- 
vate, 12,000,000 yen. The cost of the first road 
was 147,000 yen a mile; now they build cheaper 
and the mile costs from 20,000 to 37,000 yen. In 
1901 there were 12,000 miles of telegraphic lines 
and 3,680 miles of cable. The telephone has 
11,813 subscribers and a net of 1,627 miles. The 
greatest progress has been made in shipping, owing 
to the aid given it by the government. In 1872 
there were 96 steamers of European type with a ton- 
nage of 23,364, and in 1900 there were 1,221 steam- 
ers with a tonnage of 510,007, and 3,222 sailing 
ships of European type with a tonnage of 286,923 
tons. 

The Japanese adopted the French system of subsi- 
dies, devoting 6,877,952 yen to this purpose. 

We know already of the Yusen Kaisha Steamship 
Company, which owned in 1901 seventy steamers 
with a tonnage of 213,583 tons. 

This company gives very good dividends and has 
a capital of 22,000,000 yen. It runs lines of steam- 
ers between Yokohama, Antwerp, and London, by 
way of Suez; between Hongkong and Seattle; be- 
besides lines between Japan, China, and Korea. 
There is also the Tokyo Kaisha, running a line 
between Hongkong and San Francisco. 

The government gives for each trip to Europe a 
subsidy of 60,000 yen ; but all these lines to Europe 
and America, while flattering to the vanity of the 
Japanese, are a dead loss to the government. The 
French minister in Tokyo, Mr. Harmand, in his 
report on the navigation in Japan, states that on 
the European lines there is a loss of 2,628,042 yen. 



The Land o£ the Rising Sun 351 

and on the American line, 771,288 yen. The French 
minister seems to doubt the accuracy of tliese figures, 
thinking that they are possibly exaggerated in order 
to get more subsidy from the government, in the 
hope that the vanity of the Japanese will not allow 
them to deprive themselves of the pleasure of show- 
ing their flag in far-away countries. The propor- 
tion of the carrying trade in the year 1899 was 139,- 
437,852 out of the total trade of 428,243,816, and 
if this increase out of all proportion to that of any 
other nation had continued we would have soon seen 
all the carrying trade of Japan borne in Japanese 
vessels. 



Chapter XXXI 

Foreign trade — Finances — Gold standard — The budget for the 
last years — Expenses for army and fleet — Public debt — 
Taxes. 

Hand in hand with the rapid growth of industry 
we see the development of foreign trade as shown 
by the following figures : 

EXPORTS. IMPORTS. 

In 1872 17,026,647 yen 26,174,814 yen 

In 1901 181,123,214 " 327,435,401 " 

We see by this that foreign trade has augmented 
eleven-fold. The imports, beginning with the war 
with China, in the space of seven years exceed the 
exports to the amount of 436,000,000 yen. The 
Japanese financiers try to explain this unfavorable 
circumstance for Japan by enforced orders for ma- 
chinery, rails, steamers, ironclads and expenses of 
the Chinese war, and do not see in this a dangerous 
symptom, as the whole of the Chinese war indemnity 
of 350,000,000 yen was placed in English banks. 
But if we discount the sum of the war indemnity 
it still leaves a deficit of 86,000,000 yen which were 
sent from Japan abroad, leading to a stringency of 
the money market in Japan and an increased dis- 
count in the Japanese National Bank. 

This balance so disadvantageous to Japan can be 
explained partly by government orders, but also by 
the fact that many articles of export have dimin- 
ished through the fault of the Japanese themselves. 



The Land of the Rising Sun 353 

Foreigners who have suffered from the unfair 
deahngs of the Japanese merchants have placed their 
orders in other hands, and many objects of export 
have thus been diminished. Count Inouye in his 
speech in Kyoto blamed the Japanese merchants for 
the adulteration of goods destined for export, as for 
instance, tea, rice, and silk, so that foreign dealers, 
after trying to protect themselves, finish by with- 
drawing their trade from Japan, Another complaint 
of the foreigners is that the Japanese never turn out 
goods up to the standard of the sample ordered 
from. Another cause of protest by the foreign 
merchant is that in giving orders to Europe or 
America for the Japanese merchants they must be 
very careful, as they cannot rely on the Japanese. 
In case of big orders he must make a contract which 
is no guarantee in Japan, for if the price of the 
article ordered goes down before it is delivered, the 
Japanese will refuse to keep his part of the contract, 
and in case of litigation the foreigner will find that 
all the property of the Japanese merchant passed 
into the hands of his relatives, so there is no re- 
dress, and many of the European commissioners 
have their warehouses filled with goods refused at 
the last moment by Japanese buyers. But all this is 
indifferent to the Japanese, as their chief idea is to 
get the foreigners out of the country, and already, 
owing to the development of their industries, they 
are not only independent of foreign countries, but 
in the export of certain manufactured articles to 
China and Korea, successfully compete with Europe 
and America. 



354 The Land of the Rising Sun 

The financial poHcy of Japan, which in the begin- 
ning of the present reign was in the highest sense 
cautious, lately, under the impression of the victori- 
ous war with China, is not distinguished by its 
former stability and prudence. Here it will be in 
place to recall in a. few words the financial history 
of the present reign. It began, OAving to the civil 
war, with innumerable financial difficulties. The 
paper money was depreciated and all the gold went 
abroad. The feudal lords and samurai were largely 
pensioned and later the government found it con- 
venient to give them bonds to the amount of 210,- 
000,000 yen. Something had to be done, and finally 
the government decided to monopolize the rice trade, 
as that was the principal article of export. Receiv- 
ing for it cash, the government paid for it in the 
country with paper money. This system was carried 
on until 1886, when paper was at par with silver. 
The finances were put in order, and the yearly bud- 
get did not exceed 80,000,000 silver yen. 

After the war with China the picture suddenly 
changed. The Chinese war indemnity of 350,000,- 
000 yen turned the heads of the Japanese financiers, 
who thought that this fountain of wealth was inex- 
haustible. Two hundred million yen were assigned 
to the strengthening of the army, which on a peace 
footing was to consist of from 500,000 to 600,000 
men. It was to be reorganized on Prussian lines. 
Japan, with a population of 46,000,000, can raise, if 
her resources permit, an army equal to the French 
in numbers. For the fleet, 243,500,000 yen, or 
40,000,000 more than for the army, were appor- 
tioned. At the time of the war with China, Japan 



The Land of the Rising Sun 355 

) 
had 46 warships with a tonnage of 78,774, and the 
navy department thought of bringing the fleet up to 
6y ships, with a tonnage of 250,000 tons, and 116 
torpedo boats. Among the battle-ships the Mikasa, 
of 15,000 tons, is one of the greatest in the world, 
and in 1905 the whole program was to have been 
completed, and if the government could find the 
necessary funds the Japanese fleet was to be one of 
the strongest in the world. 

Count up the expenses for the army and navy 
and you will see that they far exceeded the Chinese 
war indemnity. The budget augmented to dizzy 
proportions. The • revenue, from 80,000,000 yen, 
was raised to 254,000,000 yen. The Japanese finan- 
ciers, making their calculations, did not take into 
consideration that the war indemnity should have 
been employed to cover the expenses of the war 
itself, which were greater than had been expected. 
Much outlay was needed also for Formosa, which 
was ceded to Japan by the treaty of Shimonoseki 
(25,000 square miles, with a population of 2,500,- 
000). The administration of the island of Formosa 
cannot so far be called successful, as the Japanese, 
in taking possession of the island, encountered great 
resistance on the part of the natives, which they 
put down with terrific cruelty. Not knowing the 
language, they were obliged to accept the services of 
the former Chinese employees, who were the worst 
class of men, renowned for petty thieving and bri- 
bery. The mountainous part of Formosa is occu- 
pied by wild, savage tribes, which still have not been 
subjugated by Japan. The island is very rich in 
tea, sugar, camphor, fruits, mineral ores and coal, 



356 The Land o£ the Rising Sun 

but nevertheless Japan has not yet succeeded in prof- 
iting by this weahh, as the revenue from Formosa 
from 1896 to 1 901 was 33,000,000 yen, while the 
expenses amount to 116,000,000 yen, leaving a defi- 
cit of 83,000,000 yen. 

All these expenses, notwithstanding the increase 
in the budget, led to a deficit, which had to be cov- 
ered by a loan, and new taxes, which were aug- 
mented to the sum of 40,000,000 yen, and amount 
to 33 per cent, of the income of every Japanese tax- 
payer, more than those paid by other nations. In 
England it is only 10 per cent., in France 15 per 
cent., and in Italy 18 per cent. 

On October i, 1897, the Japanese Government 
introduced the gold standard, but Dumolard, who 
was in Japan later, says he never saw, for all that, 
a gold coin in the country. Some Japanese publi- 
cists complain of the stringency of the money mar- 
ket, and the rise in price on articles of first necessity, 
but there are foreigners like Stead ("Japan, Our 
New Ally") who see the financial situation of 
Japan couleur de rose, and consider the government 
debt of Japan is insignificant (500,000,000 yen), 
that the taxes are not heavy, and that Japan having 
passed through this crisis (borrowing from Eng- 
land) will go forward to a period of prosperity and 
wealth. 

It is true that the Japanese resources are not defi- 
nitely exhausted, but we must remember that at best 
the great mass of the Japanese people are not rich, 
which is proven by the deposits made in 1899 in the 
savings banks by 2,327,627 persons to the amount 
of 30,042,072 yen, or an average of 12 yen and 91 



The Land of the Rising Sun 357 

sen per person. At the same time 1,264,604 persons 
deposited in the postal savings banks 22,490,918 
yen, or 17 yen per person. We know already that 
capital is scarce in Japan and the percentage charged 
is more than ten on a good guarantee. 

Under these circumstances it would have been 
wiser for the Japanese financiers to have refrained 
from unproductive militarism, which in Japan ab- 
sorbs 55 per cent, of the whole budget, a large per- 
centage compared to the 17 per cent, of the United 
States; Russia, 21 per cent.; France, 27 per cent.; 
Great Britain, 29 per cent., and Germany, 43 per 
cent. And to what end these unproductive expenses 
when Japan is insured against attack by her insular 
position and a strong fleet? 



Chapter XXXII 

Labor problem. 

In speaking of agriculture we have shown the un- 
enviable condition of the farmer, who has to con- 
tent himself with a very modest income, and there 
are 35,000,000 of the farmer class. 

The condition of the laborer is somewhat better, 
owing to the sudden growth of manufactures in 
Japan; but also precarious, when we consider that 
the wages in the weaving industry, for instance, for 
a man are only about thirteen cents a day and for 
women nine and a half cents a day. If we even ad- 
mit that owing to the gold standard the wages have 
increased 50 per cent., still the expense of life has 
increased at a proportionate rate. The working day 
is from ten to fourteen hours, which is especially 
hard on child labor. The Japanese press demands 
with great insistence the suppression of child labor 
in Japan, as it ruins the health of the future genera- 
tions of the country; but these demands cannot be 
complied with, as a large percentage of the work is 
done by children. 

The labor question in Japan can be spoken of as 
the woman question, as the majority of the working 
class are women. Take for example the weaving 
industry, which employs 57,850 men and 987,016 
women; the spinning industry, 9,650 men and 34,- 



The Land of the Rising Sun 359 

141 women. Every one who has followed me in my 
travels through Japan knows that women work in 
the fields standing knee deep in the mud, planting 
the rice or gathering tea leaves, and receiving the 
paltry sum of eight to thirteen cents a day. The 
foreigner who visits any port will see women loading 
the ships with coal. This great contingent of 
women workers in Japan can easily be explained by 
the fact that they are cheaper than men. Women 
are even seen in coal mines, where they go down the 
mine and work there with their children on their 
backs. The female labor is of such importance in 
Japan that agents go about to the different villages, 
enticing poor girls from their homes with promises 
of good incomes and better lives, and they realize 
only too late what veritable slaves they are. In the 
magazine called the Working World there are fiery 
attacks against factory dormitories for half-grown 
girls, stating that a good master would take better 
care of his cattle than these owners of factories do 
of their working girls. The owners in Japan are 
very favorably situated, as every year there arises 
a new contingent of workmen to the number of 
400,000, and no matter how rapidly the industries 
increase there will not be work for all the wage- 
seekers. Pauperism also is growing, and even the 
government had to spend more than 6,000,000 yen 
to relieve the poorer classes. Formerly, when life 
was cheap and the needs were fewer, people were 
comparatively happier. But now even in Tokyo 
there are slums with a floating population of 40,000. 
incapable of paying fifty cents rent a month, where 
people are teeming in inconceivable filth and dirt, 



360 The Land of the Rising Sun 

paying for their lodgings from one to two cents a 
day. 

Meanwhile, capitalists receive great dividends on 
these houses. Formerly strikes were unknown in 
Japan, but they are frequent now, and even accom- 
panied by violence. For instance, the miners near 
Nagasaki killed the director of the mine and two 
policemen. The railroad employees on the road to 
Kobe, when refused an increase of wages, threatened 
to burn the cars. 

Not long ago in Tokyo there was a labor meeting 
consisting of 30,000 laborers. It was conducted 
with great order and the following resolutions were 
passed : "We working people and citizens of the 
Japanese Empire, directed by the Supreme power 
and living under the happy rule of His Majesty the 
Emperor, with sincere enthusiasm declare the fol- 
lowing: That the government, in order to defend 
the rights and interests of the working class, should 
make laws for the protection of women and children. 
To develop our industries we deem it necessary that 
good education be given to the working class." 

Laws should be passed to broaden the rights of 
election to Parliament. 



PART FIFTH 

INTERNAL AND FOREIGN POLICY 
Chapter XXXIII 

The working of the Constitution- — The leading men of Japan — 
Parties and their aspirations. 

In Spite of parliamentarism, Japan is governed by 
the leading men of the great clans (Satsnma, Cho- 
shiu, Tosa and Hizen) that succeeded in bringing 
into effect the Restoration of 1868. Certainly Par- 
liament modifies in a degree the policy of these clans. 
The Marquis Ito, after the war with China, sought 
an alliance of the Liberals to obtain the increase of 
the army and fleet. The same thing was done by 
Matsukata, who sought the aid of the Progressists. 
The Parliament, with its three hundred and sixty 
members, elected by 430,000 persons, cannot pretend 
to represent a nation of 46,000,000; and with that, 
many members of Parliament are not very scrupu- 
lous in their dealings, and, as the Japanese papers 
have often stated, are amenable to bribery, and con- 
sider their positions a means of enriching themselves. 
Owing to these circumstances and to the prestige of 
the elder statesmen and their influence over their 
clans, they are the paramount power in the state. In 
reality, Japan, under a foreign garb, represents a 
theocracy in the person of the divine Mikado, de- 



362 The Land of the Rismg Sun 

scendant of the gods, and is governed by the oh- 
garchy of the clans. Of the leading men, Marquis Ito, 
known as the Bismarck of Japan, occupies the first 
place. It was he who, acceding to the tendencies of 
the times, drew up the Constitution, and as the head 
of the Moderates brought the same moderation into 
the Constitution. It has been said that if one wishes 
to sum up Japan in one word, that word would be 
"Ito." He is considered the most fortunate of Japa- 
nese statesmen, as from a modest position he has 
arisen to be Prime Minister and President of the 
Supreme Council. From the year 669 to 1885 the 
position of Prime Minister was considered the ex- 
clusive property of the Fijiwara family, and during 
all that time there were only four exceptions made, 
in the cases of Ashikaga, Yeshimatsu, Hideyoshi, 
lyeyasu, until Ito. 

A Japanese paper, comparing Ito with Okuma, 
says that they are different, not only in their views, 
but by the quality of their intelligence and character. 
Ito is a savant, Okuma is a man of business. One 
is a courtier, the other a bureaucrat. Ito is distin- 
guished by the vehemence of his intelligence, by his 
opportunism, his skill in the management of the peo- 
ple and adaptability to circumstances. Okuma is rich 
in intellectual resources and was remarkable for the 
boldness of his plans and his enterprising character. 
Nevertheless, Japanese public opinion recognizes Ito 
as the prime mover in Japanese politics. Justly or 
unjustly, they attribute to him the management of 
things behind the political scene. He is the principal 
adviser of the men of action of the day. The min- 
isters change, but at all times the hand of the talent- 



The Land of the Rising Sun 363 

ed Marquis is visible. In another Japanese paper it 
is said that Satsuma's clan reproach Ito with lack 
of daring, Choshiu finds that he does too little for his 
clan, Tosa dubs him a despot, and the bigoted Shin- 
toists call him the champion of freedom. But Ito 
has numberless friends among the aristocracy and 
senators, in the army and the navy; he is respected 
both by the savants and the nobility. 

"Ito," says a Frenchman, "knows how to profit 
by a victory and bears no rancor toward his ene- 
mies." Supple and adroit, he with a knowing hand 
conducts the court and the government affairs. 
Without broad ideas and without narrow prejudices 
he seems to be created by fate for the government 
of a country in which one must treat gently the 
dying-out traditions and at the same time flatter the 
growing appetites. 

Count Okuma, the founder of the Kai Shinto 
party, rose like Ito from a lower strata of society. 
By his ideas he can be called the most advanced 
Japanese politician, yet with this he has remained 
a typical Japanese. Never having been abroad, and 
seeking to forget the few Dutch words he knew in 
his youth, he early understood the power of money 
and by clever speculations amassed a great fortune. 
He lives on a great scale in Waseda (near Tokyo), 
and near his castle is the college of one thousand 
students, founded by him. At one time, when he 
was seeking quiet, he devoted himself to charitable 
works and supporting schools, and having received 
the title of count he presented to his college 30,000 
yen, which were given to him by the government 
with the patent of count. 



364 The Land of the Rising Sun 

Returning to power in 1889, after the failure of 
Count Inouye in tlie revision of treaties, he took the 
matter in hand witli great skill and ability. 

Russia, Germany, and the United States had al- 
ready concluded new treaties on a new basis, and it 
was to be expected that the consular jurisdiction, so 
hateful to the Japanese, would be a thing of the 
past, when suddenly opposition arose where it was 
least expected. Old, conservative Japan raised its 
voice. The Japanese were frightened at the influx 
of foreign capital and foreign competition, and as it 
always happens in Japan, there was a man at hand 
fanatical enough to throw a bomb into the carriage 
of the minister. Kirishima Tsuneki, after this act, 
committed suicide, while Okuma was obliged to 
have his leg amputated and for a time retired from 
public activity. 

It is said of him that immediately after his acci- 
dent, as he lay with his leg shattered, he said to a 
foreign diplomat, "You will excuse me that I do not 
accompany you to the door." 

The fate of the Japanese statesman is not enviable. 
In the last twenty-five years we have a whole succes- 
sion of attempts on the lives of Japanese statesmen 
(Iwakura, Okubo, Mori, Okuma, Itagaki, etc.). 
Itagaki, the leader of the Liberal party, was more 
fortunate than the rest. In 1880 a man named 
Aibara, considering him a traitor to his country, 
attacked him with a sword. Luckily the wounds 
were not serious. Of course Aibara was impris- 
oned for life. After several intercessions on the part 
of Itagaki himself, and an imprisonment of seven 
years, he was given his liberty. The first thing he 



The Land of the Rising Sun 365 

did was to go to Itagaki, ask his pardon, and tell 
him how he repented of his act. Itagaki answered 
him thus : "I do not doubt that the great motives 
of your act were loyalty to and love for your coun- 
try and I admire these qualities. You certainly no 
longer doubt my patriotism and I believe this so 
firmly that I give you the right to take my life if 
you ever suspect me of betraying my country." 

These words of Itagaki raised a terrible storm in 
the press, as many saw in them the approval of polit- 
ical murder and a dangerous preaching for the 
soshi who so easily resort to violence. But judging 
from the way Itagaki had spoken against the soshi, 
one could not call him a partisan of violent 
measures. 

Goto, who at the same time with his comrade 
was created a count, has the same opinions as Ita- 
gaki. The Shinto party created b}^ Count Itagaki, 
as he himself admits, did not answer the demands 
of the times, and was dissolved, part of it going over 
to the Daido-dankezu, organized by Goto, which 
was more successful, and occupied a certain place 
in Parliament. Goto, who was formerly loud in 
his blame of the government, as soon as the oppor- 
tunity offered for him to take part in the formation 
of the cabinet, like a true opportunist, threw off 
his former extreme ideas. His followers blamed 
such apostasy, but Count Itagaki defended his friend 
publicly, declaring that opposition is fruitless and 
that one must adapt oneself to the demands of the 
times. Count Inouye acts in quite another spirit. 
According to the Japanese press he is endowed with 
sharp intellect and has a fearless and chevalresque 



366 The Land of the Rising Sun 

character. Nevertheless, in spite of his talents he 
does not enjoy the confidence of the public. He has 
many friends, but also many enemies. He works at 
every new enterprise with great ardor, which soon 
cools off. Nervous and impressionable, he cannot 
boast of the success of his friend Ito. The revision 
of treaties taken up by him was a failure and he had 
to retire to private life. In comparison with the 
conservatism of Ito one could call him a radical. 
He worked especially for the material welfare of 
the country, and in the question of the revision of 
treaties he strove principally to attract foreign capi- 
tal into Japan. Count Kuroda, in comparison with 
the small and delicate Ito, can be called an athlete. 
He really is a strong and muscular man, and it is 
said that he enjoys wrestling with professional wres- 
tlers. Passionate and fiery, he gives way easily to 
fits of rage. Born in Kagoshima he was formerly 
but a poor samurai, receiving four kokus of rice. 
In spite of his poor circumstances he put by some- 
thing for a rainy day. Before the Restoration the 
Satsuma clan wished to make an alliance with the 
Choshiu, and old Sago proposed to Kuroda to go to 
Kido and make with him an agreement for the future. 
Knowing the modest means of Kuroda, Saigo pro- 
posed to give him money for his expenses, but Ku- 
roda, proudly drawing five gold pieces out of his 
breast, said, "Having a presentiment of the future, 
I saved this money." "You are marked for success 
in life," said Saigo, and he was right. Kuroda 
was created a count and was minister several times. 
Besides the circumspect Ito, the knightly, audacious 
Okuma, and the noble Itagaki he played a secondary 



The Land of the Rising Sun 367 

role. The public talks of his colossal physical 
strength, which he likes to show to foreigners. 
They tell about his bursts of passion and quite over- 
look his serious intellectual qualities. 

We will mention, in passing, among Japanese 
leading men, the Field Marshal Marquis Yamagata, 
who has played such a prominent role as a soldier, 
and the Minister of War and Field Marshal Count 
Oyama, who captured Port Arthur and Wei-hai-wei 
during the Chinese war. 

Quite another position is occupied by Fukusawa. 
He is not a statesman nor a politician, but a philos- 
opher and a teacher of the young- generation. He 
keeps aloof from all political parties, wants no offi- 
cial position, and does not seek to form a party. 
Nevertheless, thousands of intelligent people await 
impatiently his opinion on political questions and 
listen to him as to a prophet. The daily political 
struggle is not his affair, but he turns the attention of 
his followers to political and social questions, and if 
one can make the comparison, he is the Japanese 
Socrates. 

Long before the Restoration, Fukusawa founded 
a school and published many books on popular edu- 
cation and on European civilization. Now his col- 
lege has one thousand students and a kindergarten 
is connected with it. There are special courses in 
literature, jurisprudence, and political economy. 
Out of his school have graduated men now active in 
politics, ministers, presidents of banks and commer- 
cial companies. Students flock from all parts of 
the country and greedily listen to his teachings. 



368 The Land of the Rising Sun 

Not long ago he published an article on parliament- 
ism in Japan. 

The revolution of 1868 was, according to his 
opinion, the consequence of the restricted means of 
the higher warrior class; and according to him, 
sooner or later feudalism must have fallen. People 
of the middle class and samurai of the lower ranks 
destroyed the old regime and demanded representa- 
tive institutions, but they saw that they could not do 
without the lower classes, who were indifferent to 
parliamentarism. In his opinion the old warrior 
class will dominate in the first Parliament; more 
clearly, the Shizoku or samurai, and not the agri- 
cultural, manufacturing, or trade interests. Soon, 
however, plutocracy will take the first place and 
drive the warrior class from its position and will 
speak with a loud voice in the national council. But 
all this will proceed peacefully and calmly. Obedi- 
ence, respect for the laws, and the loyalty of the 
people will uphold the country under all circum- 
stances. 

Now let us turn from the ruling men of Japan to 
the political parties. It would have been more natu- 
ral to begin with the parties and go over to the 
statesmen, but Japanese parliamentarism is so recent 
that the parties cannot be said to exist by themselves, 
but only by the initiative of their leaders. With the 
disappearance of the leader of a party it falls to 
pieces. For instance, the party of jiuto, or radicals, 
represented by Itagaki, existed for ten years and now 
has disappeared. The same fate befell the party of 
Count Goto, the "daido danketsu," or the united 
party. 



The Land of the Rising Sun 369 

Before the opening of Parliament there existed 
fifteen different parties, of which the principal are 
the following: ist. Liberal party, with Count 
Okiima at its head ; 2d. Daido, which considers Goto 
indirectly as its head; 3d. Aikoku, or the patriotic 
party, organized by Count Itagaki. This party dif- 
fers in nothing from the Daido. 4th. Imperial Radi- 
cal party; 5th. Radical party of the group Kwansei; 
6th. Conservative party, organized by General 
Lieutenant Torio, having very few followers. 

Since the convening of Parliament this has all 
changed, and parties are created and broken up very 
quickly. No one expected that the Rikken Jiuto 
party (constitutional liberals) would have a hun- 
dred and thirty voices and the Progressive party re- 
main with forty. 

But most of the parties are in formation, "im 
werden," as the Germans say, and to state the dis- 
tinguishing characteristics of one or the other is 
still premature. One thing can be said, that in the 
first Parliament there were only ten Conservatives 
and that radicalism dominated the other parties ; but 
among the Radicals themselves there is no unity and 
they frequently split into groups, acting one against 
the other when the vote is taken. Even Count Ita- 
gaki thought it necessary to separate from them; 
and explained his step in the following manner: 
"The aim of our party is the propagation of liberal 
ideas and parliamentary institutions. The consti- 
tutional forms demand a cabinet responsible to the 
House representing the majority of it. It was to 
this end that I worked in organizing the Aikoku to 
(patriotic) party, and afterwards I united all my 



370 The Land of the Rising Sun 

partisans to the Rikken Jiuto party. As soon as our 
party appeared in the lioiise, dissensions began which 
nearly led to its dissolution. I could not be a calm 
spectator of this situation and with all my strength 
sought to reconcile the opponents. 1 thought I had 
succeeded for a while, but it did not last long and 
we are on the eve of going asunder again. In view 
of this, I who never sought glory, nor riches, and 
only struggled for the good of the country, severed 
my connection with the party." The term "radical" 
has not the same signification as in European poli- 
tics, and does not even demand universal suffrage; 
and Itagaki himself, who created the party, fearing 
plutocracy, combines on many occasions with the 
leader of the Conservatives, Torio. 

In his speech in Sendai, which was his profession 
"de foi," Itagaki showed clearly how Japanese radi- 
cals regard European civilization. Admitting that 
Japan is on a lower scale of civilization than Europe, 
he says that: , 

"Japan has the great advantage of being able to 
profit by the experience of Europe. Experiments 
in Europe have been many, and their results have 
been written in the 'pages of history.' The funda- 
mental study of them will be of great advantage to 
us. Nevertheless, I consider the European system 
of government entirely false. I say this, as their 
political organization was accomplished in revolu- 
tionary times and was principally founded on the 
predominance of riches and knowledge over pov- 
erty and ignorance. 

"We have a visible result in the French Revolu- 
tion. The French Government led to this revolution 



The Land of the Rising Sun 371 

by concentrating the power in the hands of the 
nobihty and clergy, who were at Hberty to oppress 
the people. 

"What was the final result? 

"We finally see the oppression of the nobles and 
clergy, by which a death-blow was given to the war- 
rior class, and despotism of money took its place. 
With the development of civilization one would ex- 
pect the development of universal prosperity and 
happiness, but in reality the farmer sinks deeper and 
deeper into the gulf of poverty. With the increase 
of knowledge, augments the invention of machinery, 
which does away more and more with hand labor. 
The result is the excessive offer of labor. Our popu- 
lation increases yearly four hundred thousand. In 
Europe the seeds of the coming revolution are visi- 
ble in frequent strikes. The government does all in 
its power to stave off the calamity, nevertheless it 
supports the rich, as the French Government sup- 
ported the nobility and the clergy. 

"A catastrophe might be expected if it were not 
for the colonies. What ! do I hear that the Pope 
intercedes for the poor? If this is so, this mixing 
of politics with religion will lead to a revolution. 
Socialism in Europe is the result of the defect of 
administration. I am not in favor of socialism, but 
if a rich man seeing a poor man, instead of helping 
him, tries to profit by his poverty, I cannot blame 
those who are against such cruelty. 

"Let us turn our attention to our own country. 
Happily such cruelty does not exist with us, there 
is not that lack of moral sense with us. In the time 
of our revolution the daimios relinquished their 



372 The Land of the Rising Sun 

rights, the samurai became equals of the common 
people. We freed ourselves from the arbitrary, and 
the rich must not oppress our poor. We have freed 
ourselves of the fighting feudalism, we must not 
introduce to our country money feudalism. If the 
nation disappears what will the rich people do? 
[Great applause.] We are not partisans of com- 
munism. We do not ask of the rich that they divide 
their property among the poor." 

After that he advises the union of the rich and 
the poor for the promotion of general welfare. 

This is the vague program of a Japanese radical. 
We see that he critically reviews the results of Euro- 
pean civilization and advises the Japanese to go their 
own way. But what this way is we cannot see 
clearly from his program. We must admit that 
after the enthusiasm for all that was European there 
came a reaction toward nationalism in Japan. Some 
of the Nationalists joined the Radicals, others the 
Conservatives. 

What, in reality, do the Japanese Conservatives 
want? Viscount Torio blames all that has been 
done by the Japanese from the beginning of the 
Restoration, and his principal attacks are directed 
against European civilization. 

"'The governments of the East," he says, "from 
time immemorial were founded on benevolence. 
In the West [in Europe] the happiness of the few 
is bought at the price of the suffering of thousands, 
who are obliged to drag out their lives in privations. 
Civilization, according to the opinions of western- 
ers, serves only to satisfy the great wants of 
humanity. 



The Land of the Rising Sun 373 

"From such formulas what can the majority of 
our population receive, living as they do on the 
results of hand lahor, and gaining with difficulty 
ten cents a day? What was their sin? That their 
wishes and wants cannot be satisfied? What does 
this much-praised civilization give us? European 
civilization will act ruinously on the Japanese state 
organization, which is founded on a steady Imperial 
power, and our old beliefs. People having eyes can 
see clearly that this western system acts disastrously 
on the order and the peace of the country. The 
future of Japan awakens our fears; the system in 
which the ethics and religion only serve personal 
ambition certainly is in accord with the individual 
aspirations of people, and a theory proclaiming- 
equality and liberty destroys the established social 
relations like flame destroys dry leaves. Liberty 
and equality are unattainable, but they have changed 
the organization of society, destroying the former 
social differences, leading the people to one level. 
Look at America. The citizens praise it as the land of 
liberty and equality, but the people there are divided 
according to wealth into different classes, and there 
reigns the principle that in money lies the highest 
right. 

"The application of these principles to Japan will 
change the good and peaceful customs of our people, 
making them heartless and unfeeling, and in the end 
bring about the unhappiness of the masses. Prog- 
ress in this sense leads to strikes, demonstrations, 
and other disorders, and the inevitable result of this 
will be that the hearts of people will be filled with 
enmity, envy, and suspicion. Thus, although west- 



374 The Land of the Rising Sun 

ern civilization presents itself in the beginning in an 
attractive light, it serves to satisfy the ambitious 
passions and leads in the end to demoralization and 
disappointment. The conditions in which the West 
lives were created through the struggle for life, 
which in reality is struggle for wealth and power." 

Giving its due to western civilization, he finds 
that the principles have led to the complete disor- 
ganization of Japan, which up to the time of their 
adoption lived under entirely different ethics. After 
this he enumerates the evils which western civiliza- 
tion has brought to Japan. "Selfish instincts occupy 
already the first place, the state morality is trampled 
in the mud ; in the government circles violence, envy, 
and suspicion reign." 

As we see, the Conservative Torio and the Radi- 
cal Itagaki are united in their fear of western 
principles. 

We will not try to decide the question of how a 
return to the former regime is possible, but will 
point out the fact that the ideas of Viscount Torio 
respond to the national movement, which embraces 
Japanese society lately. The hatred of the foreigner 
for many Japanese is an unchangeable dogma. Not 
long ago one paper blamed the people for calling 
foreigners "red-haired barbarians, blue-eyed mon- 
sters," etc., which are very popular epithets among 
the great majority of the Japanese. There are 
papers which openly preach a campaign against for- 
eigners and missionaries, and these papers are read 
by a numerous public. The reaction against for- 
eigners is not yet sustained by the leading circles 
and the government. 



The Land of the Rising Sun 375 

The Japanese themselves recognize that Europe 
and America are too strong, and such measures as 
were used in the time of lyeyasu are not to be 
thought of now; but for all that, this hatred of the 
foreigner is not without significance, and like an 
undercurrent must be considered in judging of 
Japanese politics. There is still another force which 
must be taken into consideration. It is the new 
Japanese politician, created by parliamentarism, and 
not yet very influential. With a little amount of 
learning this young Japanese politician is coarse, 
vain, self-opinionated, with a great confidence in 
his own ability. He soon saw that he could not rise 
to power, as the clans have the monopoly of every- 
thing, and he easily joined the opposition. One 
foresees already the future struggle of the ambi- 
tious democracy with the powerful oligarchy, and 
meanwhile the positions of the old feudal lords are 
gradually being taken by the lords of finance. A 
great scourge of Japanese politics are the soshi, re- 
cruited in the bohemian quarters of the great cities. 
These brawlers are always ready for a fight or to 
attack the foreigner who is not in the good graces 
of young Japan. They are terrible jingoes, always 
ready to make a meal of the European powers, and 
their fruitless agitation is a constant danger to the 
state. Up to the present time the elder statesmen, 
or so-called Genro, who brought about the revolu- 
tion of 1868, have prestige and influence, but they 
are not immortal. The time will come when, instead 
of the reigning Emperor, — who already is no longer 
looked upon by young Japan as the descendant of 



376 The Land o£ the Rising Sun 

the gods, but who nevertheless has a great prestige, 
— will reign Prince Haru-no-miya, who has no 
prestige whatever at present and is entirely unac- 
quainted with the affairs of state. Will he be strong 
enough to stem the demagogical current which 
forebodes no good to Japan ? 



Chapter XXXIV 

Foreign policy — ^War with China — Revision of treaties — What 
did the new treaties give to the foreigners? — Korean 
events — Boxer troubles — War with Russia and its conse- 
quences. 

The apparition of the foreigners demanding by 
force to be admitted to Japan placed her in the diffi- 
cult dilemma of choosing between submitting eter- 
nally to the caprices of the Powers and playing a 
secondary role, or of rising tO' their level and fight- 
ing them with their own arms. Thus in Japan 
began to ripen the idea, not only of borrowing from 
European civilization all of which she is most proud, 
but principally of reorganizing her army and navy 
on new European lines. The logical consequence 
of this trend of thought was the return to the former 
aspirations of grasping Korea and China, — to the 
dream of Hideyoshi, — and for this inevitable war the 
Japanese prepared themselves during a long period 
and studied the situation fundamentally. Japanese 
officers of the general staff, as well as other Japan- 
ese disguised as barbers, as coolies, small traders, 
and boys at hotels, overran China and Korea in all 
directions, and naturally all these spies were invalu- 
able at the moment when Japan was ready to declare 
war against China. 

The first aim of her foreign politics was to estab- 
lish herself firmly in Korea, which was a vassal of 
China and had remained stationary from the time 



378 The Land of the Rising Sun 

of Hideyoshi. Petty intrigue began between the 
adherents of Chinese and Japanese parties upon the 
occasion of the rising of the Tongaks. The uprising 
spread quickly, until the King was not safe in 
Seoul, and called upon China for protection. When 
China sent her troops to cjuell the disturbance, Japan 
considered that she had a right to do the same, 
although the Chinese contemptuously refused this 
joint occupation, on the plea of the sovereign rights 
of China over Korea. Japan answered by landing 
her troops, under the pretense of defending her lega- 
tion at Seoul, and demanded the recall of the Chinese 
representative and the protectorate over Korea. 
This led to open hostilities, and war was declared 
between Japan and China on August i, 1894. 

This war was only a pretense of the imperialistic 
policy of Japan, whose aggression was unprovoked 
by China. This is also the opinion of C. A. W. 
Pownall, who has lived long in Japan, and who has 
published a very able article in the Nineteenth Cen- 
tury. He says that the Japanese were forming this 
project of the invasion of China a long time, and 
that it is false that China provoked the war in 1894. 
On the contrary, he declared it to be a ripened and 
carefully prepared invasion with the object to obtain 
a supremacy over the millions of Chinese. 

We all know how the war ended with a complete 
fiasco for China. The conditions of peace dictated 
by Japan to China were the following: ist, recog- 
nition by China of the independence of Korea; 2d, 
the cession to Japan of the islands of Formosa and 
Pescadores and also of the Liaotung Peninsula ; 3d, 
the payment of 400,000,000 yen war indemnity; 



The Land of the Rising Sun 379 

4th, the opening o£ three new ports to Japanese 
commerce; 5th, the occupation of Wei-hai-wei until 
the payment of the war indemnity. Six days after 
the signing of the treaty a joint protest was made 
in Pelvin by the French, German, and Russian gov- 
ernments against the cession of the Liaotung Penin- 
sula, on the ground that its retention by Japan was a 
permanent threat to China and Korea and a danger 
to the peace of the Far East. 

And so it was; for the Japanese considered their 
possession of Liaotung as the first etape in their 
conquest of China, which would only be a question 
of time and the ambitious dream of Hideyoshi would 
be realized. 

The victorious war with China lifted the prestige 
of Japan in the eyes of all the world. There re- 
mained still a grinding trial for Japan. It was the 
consular jurisdiction. To explain matters, we will 
say that the first treaties concluded by Japan with 
the other powers were made under compulsion, forc- 
ing Japan to admit consular jurisdiction. This was 
always felt by Japan to be derogatory to her inde- 
pendence, and all her statesmen sought by every 
means to remove this thorn from her side. But to 
wipe out this article, which placed Japan on a level 
with the other Asiatic countries, she was obliged to 
give Europe and America certain guarantees, that 
with the ajjrogation of the consular jurisdiction the 
interests of their subjects would be safeguarded 
under Japanese law. In the beginning the Powers 
were only content with an International Supreme 
Court, like in Egypt, with European and American 
judges as members of this court. As time went on 



380 The Land of the Rising Sun 

the demands of Europe became more moderate and 
Count Okuma was fortunate enough to come to an 
understanding with the foreign diplomats. It was 
conceded that European judges should be named as 
members of the Japanese Supreme Court, This 
concession, however, as we know, led to the catas- 
trophe which befell Count Okuma. 

In 1890 Viscount Aoki began negotiations for 
opening the whole country to foreigners and for the 
abolition of the consular jurisdiction. This time 
there was no longer question of European advisers 
or of any limitation to Japanese justice. Profiting 
by the rivalry of foreign powers, Japan won a bril- 
liant diplomatic victory. England was the first to 
make a treaty abolishing consular jurisdiction 
(1894); after her followed the United States and 
Russia in 1895, then Germany in 1896, and France 
and Austria in 1898. 

What did the new treaties give to the foreigners ? 
The right to travel in the country. Formerly the 
foreigners were only allowed in the open ports, a 
special permission from the government being neces- 
sary every time a trip was made outside of the treaty 
ports. The right of recourse to Japanese courts. 
Religious freedom and exemption from military 
service and enforced taxes. They can trade, manu- 
facture, form companies, rent the surface territory 
for the purpose of building, but they cannot own 
property or mines. 

It was really a diplomatic victory to get rid of 
consular jurisdiction and with that deprive the for- 
eigners of such rights as they themselves enjoy in 
all parts of the world. 



The Land of the Rising Sun 381 

After the war with China was finished, Korea was 
freed from Chinese tutelage, only to fall under the 
rod of the Japanese, who became very obnoxious to 
the natives. At the head of the national Korean 
party was the energetic, intelligent queen, and in 
order to rid themselves of her, the Japanese attempted 
a coup d'etat. A rabble, under the leadership of the 
Japanese Minister, Viscount Miura, and his aco- 
lytes, — as was brought to light by the trial in Hiro- 
shima, — forced an entrance into the palace and 
butchered the queen and her ladies-in-waiting, pour- 
ing oil on their bodies and setting them on fire. 
The King was virtually held a prisoner until he 
escaped in a woman's litter to the Russian Legation. 

This violence on the part of Japan in Seoul gave 
no other results than that Korea sought protection 
of the Russians from Japanese encroachments. 

What right had Japan to Korea? Certainly 
no more rights than England has to France or vice 
versa. From the earliest times Japan has made in- 
vasions into Korea, and was always beaten back by 
the Koreans, alone, or with the aid of the Chinese. 
The Japanese are convinced that the possession of 
Korea is necessary to their welfare. England might 
with the same propriety find it necessary to possess 
northern France merely because it is across the 
Channel. Certainly Korea with her 12,000,000 
inhabitants and with her antiquated armament is no 
match for the Japan of to-day, and so she looked 
to Russia for protection. This is the fault of the 
Japanese, as they show themselves arrogant, arbi- 
trary, and violent with the Koreans. This is certi- 
fied to by no less a personage than the Count Inouye, 



382 The Land of the Rising Sun 

the Japanese Minister in Seoul, who says that the 
"Japanese in Korea seek only to enrich themselves; 
are violent, and treat the Koreans like masters 
would their slaves. And with that they are not 
honest in their dealings," 

Two years and a half after the conclusion of the 
war, two Germans were murdered in the province of 
Shantung, and to avenge this outrage a German 
squadron anchored in the harbor of Kiaochau, and 
took the town, demanding the cession of Kiaochau 
to Germany, which was granted by the Chinese. 
Russia, finding that the obtaining of a naval base by 
Germany in north China disturbed the balance of 
power, occupied Port Arthur, with the consent of 
the Chinese Government, in December, 1897, while 
the English took Wei-hai-wei. 

The leasing of Port Arthur gave an outlet to the 
sea to the vast possessions of Russia in Asia. "Port 
Arthur," says an American writer, "was in no way 
essential to China or Japan, both countries being 
rich in open ports, and on the other hand it was 
indispensable as the terminus of the Siberian rail- 
way, which had cost the Russian Government more 
than $300,000,000." "This acquisition," as Captain 
Winthrop Dayton remarks, "was also very profit- 
able to the development of Manchuria, which is cov- 
ered by well planned and strongly built towns, where 
before were huddled only Chinese hovels. Con- 
tented, prosperous, happy dwellers live in the towns, 
and on the farms Chinese and Russians, alike having 
justice regularly administered." 

Then began the Boxer movement in China, and 
the brunt of the movement was felt by Russia. Her 



The Land of the Rising Sun 383 

cities in Siberia were attacked by the regular Chi- 
nese) troops and her railway through Manchuria 
destroyed. Repulsing this unwarranted attack by 
the Chinese, Russia took possession of Manchuria, 
making the declaration that she would withdraw 
her troops when there would be no further disturb- 
ances endangering her railway, and if no action of 
another power should prove an obstacle to such a 
removal. At the time this declaration was made 
not one of the Powers protested against the occu- 
pation of Manchuria by Russia — not even Japan, 
who had joined the other powers in sending troops 
to Pekin. An event of importance to Japan was the 
signing of the treaty of alliance with Great Britain 
the 30th of January, 1902. This treaty gave great 
prestige to Japan, as it was the first time that a 
European power had made a treaty of alliance on 
equal terms with an Asiatic country. 

Russia, with regard to Manchuria, in her inten- 
tion of withdrawing her troops was perfectly sin- 
cere; and although there were Russian troops in 
Manchuria, the administration was left in Chinese 
hands. In order to prevent a repetition of the 
disasters which took place during the Boxer upris- 
ing, Russia demanded certain guarantees, asking- 
China to sign an agreement, which China refused to 
do. An unbiased writer on the subject is Captain 
Winthrop Dayton, who states the case quite clearly, 
saying: "Early in 1903 this plan was so far ad- 
vanced that the Russian troops were all withdrawn 
beyond Mukden, with the exception of small details 
of railway guards and the garrison of Port Arthur. 
Immediately serious disturbances broke out in Muk- 



384 The Land of the Rising Sun 

den, caused by numerous bands of Hunchuses armed 
with the most modern rifles. The preservation of 
her vast commercial and railway interests compelled 
the return of Russian soldiers to the disturbed dis- 
tricts. The interesting question has been raised — 
whence did the Hunchuses obtain their modern ord- 
nance? Certainly not from either Russia or China. 
Suppose that the United States had invested $300,- 
000,000 in Cuba, and just as the American troops 
withdrew there had been an outbreak of organized 
and well armed bands, whose purpose was to destroy 
that investment, can any American suppose that we 
should have adhered to that agreement to withdraw, 
under such circumstances ? The further withdrawal 
of troops was made impossible by the manifest in- 
tention of Japan to again seize the spoil which had 
lain within her grasp. Japanese agents have been 
active among the remnants of the robber bands 
(Hunchuses), intriguing for the destruction of the 
railway at the first favorable opportunity." 

At the same time the misunderstanding grew be- 
tween Russia and Japan. The White Book, pub- 
lished by the foreign office of Japan, states the then 
pending negotiations with Russia regarding Korea 
and Manchuria as follows : Komura, in his instruc- 
tions to the representative of Japan in St. Peters- 
burg, said that the separate existence of Korea was 
essential to the peace and safety of Japan and that 
Russia's indefinite occupation of Manchuria inspired 
the gravest apprehension as to her ultimate intention 
as regarding Korea, and that Russia could at any 
moment take Korea. "Korea," he continues, "is 
the outer outpost in the defense of Japan. Japan 



The Land of the Rising Sun 385 

considers the independence of Korea essential to her 
safety." In the same note Komura instructs the 
Minister in St. Petersburg to propose to the Russian 
Government an agreement, of which we will speak 
later. 

Before we proceed let us see how the occupation 
of Manchuria by Russia can endanger the existence 
of Japan. Is this possible ? Is it possible that Japan 
with a population of 46,000,000, with a powerful 
fleet, and an army which can be brought to the 
dimensions of the French army, and with an insular 
position which makes her invulnerable, should feel 
herself in danger because Russia has an outlet in 
Manchuria ? 

Risum teneatis aniici! 

When has it occurred that an insular power of 
such force as Japan was in danger of being con- 
quered by a continental power ? A genius like Napo- 
leon desisted from attacking England, although he 
had one of the most powerful armies the world 
has ever known, and he had only to cross the Chan- 
nel. To invade Japan one must first destroy her 
fleet, and the Japanese knew very well that their fleet 
at the time was superior to the Russian fleet in 
these waters. And even with the destruction of the 
fleet an insular nation of 46,000,000 cannot be con- 
quered. Who would entertain such fantastic pro- 
jects ? Even an unbiased Japanese like Shimada, in 
the Mainichi Shimbun, has said that there is no 
danger for Japan in Russia's occupying a port on 
the open sea. 

Thus we easily prove that, admitting even an 
occupation of Korea by Russia, which was never the 



386 The Land of the Rising Sun 

case, — as Japanese soldiers, not Russians, overran 
the country, — still the integrity of Japan itself could 
never be placed in jeopardy. 

Having proved this point we can proceed to review 
the principal demands Japan made of Russia. One 
of the principal points formulated by Komura was 
the recognition by Russia of Japanese preponderant 
interests in Korea, and the exclusive right of Japan 
to give advice and assistance to Korea, in the inter- 
ests of reform and good government. Although 
Russia admitted the right of Japan to despatch 
troops to Korea when necessary for the protection 
of her interests there, Russia demanded previous 
notice of such a despatch of troops, and refused to 
permit Japan to use any part of Korea for strategi- 
cal purposes. 

In a word, Japan manifested through all this cor- 
respondence an intention of securing and maintain- 
ing for all time a control over Korea, amounting to 
annexation, as well as a wish to exert the same kind 
of influence in Manchuria. In the last proposal of 
Baron Komura, it was asked that Russia should 
declare Korea outside of its sphere of interests, mean- 
ing that Japan should have the right to build fort- 
resses in Korea. Japan in her last note gave herself 
all rights to violate the independence of Korea, at 
the same time arrogating unto herself the right to 
speak about Manchuria in behalf of China. This 
correspondence clearly shows one thing — that it was 
not Russia who intended to violate the independence 
of Korea, but Japan herself. Russia certainly could 
not give her consent to any such proposals; she 
could not allow Japan to be master of Korea, build 



The Land of the Rising Sun 387 

fortresses in that country, and use Korea as a forti- 
fied camp, as that would mean a constant menace, 
not only to Manchuria, but to the Amur province. 
Russia as a great power could certainly not admit 
that Japan should dictate her conditions regarding 
China. The best answer to such impudent propo- 
sals would have been to sever diplomatic relations 
with Japan. Nevertheless, Russia showed a highly 
conciliatory spirit, which is the dominant trait of 
character of the Slavonic race, and sent counter- 
proposals to Tokyo; but this was of no avail, as 
Japan had already precipitated matters. The Japan- 
ese Minister in Washington stated that in the face 
of the fact that Russia was preparing for war, not 
only. Japan's safety was threatened, but her very 
existence, and that Japan was forced to begin hos- 
tilities. The contrary was the case. Japan knew 
that the Russian fleet was dispersed along the coast, 
that there was no army on the frontiers. Would 
Japan have dared to attack Russia had Russia been 
prepared in the Far East with a powerful fleet and 
a great army to repel such an attack? Certainly 
not. She would have continued negotiations. Japan 
knew very well that Russia did not want war, was 
not ready for war, and all her demands were mere 
pretenses to strike a great blow. She thought like 
Dewey to destroy the enemy's fleet at one stroke. 

But although Russia was unprepared for such a 
treacherous attack on her fleet, she is not an easy 
prey, as China was for Japan, and in beginning such 
a war Japan plays a hazardous game. Why did she 
begin it? One reason we know. Japan thought 
that the moment had arrived to realize her plan of 



388 The Land of the Rising Sun 

conquering Korea and from there to spread her 
domination to China. It is the opinion of some that 
this war was undertaken to turn the attention of the 
Japanese nation from internal questions. If this be 
the case, then woe, woe ! to any strong and powerful 
nation who diverts the mind of its people from 
internal troubles to risky external wars. 

What can be the result of this war in case of 
success? Baron Suyematsu, formerly Minister of 
the Interior, kindly explains that the Japanese do 
not intend to conquer Russia (excuses du peu), but 
chase her to the Baikal, give Manchuria back to 
China, and retain Korea. 

But that is all idle talk of people who cannot rea- 
lize what a war with Russia means to Japan. One 
need not be a prophet to say that this war will be 
disastrous for Japan. If Russia comes out victor- 
ious Japan will have sacrificed many lives and crip- 
pled her resources for the sake of ambition. On the 
other hand, should Japan come out with flying 
banners, she will come out with crippled resources, 
maybe enriched in territory, but burdened with mili- 
tarism for many generations. In such a case the 
time will come when her sympathizers in the 
United States will painfully discover what the 
advent of Japan means to the commercial interests 
of America. As we have already stated, Japan has 
cheap labor, coal, and raw material at hand, and 
Japanese wares are much nearer to China than the 
American wares. It takes only a couple of days to 
ship goods from Japan to Korea and China, and it 
takes twenty days or more to ship them from Amer- 
ica. In Manchuria and all over China goods would 



The Land of the Rising Sun 389 

be dealt in by Japanese merchants, who are con- 
tented with cheap living and small profits. We know 
already that nearly all the carrying trade in Japan 
is carried in Japanese vessels, which have a tonnage 
of more than 600,000 tons. The same can be said 
of China with her teeming millions. She also pos- 
sesses all the advantages and resources which Japan 
has, and owing to her hundreds of millions of inhab- 
itants China will always be a land of cheap labor. 
The competition with these two countries will be 
disastrous to American trade. This competition has 
already begun if we can believe the business men of 
the Far East. 



Chapter XXXV 

CONCLUSIONS 

The great upheaval which has taken place in 
Japan, and the progress which it has made within 
an extraordinarily short time, seems to many noth- 
ing less than miraculous. An Asiatic nation, they 
say, thirty-six years ago isolated from the world, 
suddenly to pass from feudalism to constitutional 
government with European institutions, to appro- 
priate all the perfected inventions of European civili- 
zation. Those who are astonished at all this entirely 
forget that we have before us a nation of old — 
thousand-year-old — culture, original maybe, but 
fully capable of appropriating outwardly the prin- 
ciples of European civilization. I say outwardly, 
not because this borrowing of the Japanese is merely 
superficial, but because it does not affect the inner 
self of the Japanese, which remains exactly as it 
was before — the exact opposite to Europe. If we 
see in the Anglo-Saxon race, and especially in the 
American, the personification of individualism, in 
Japan and in all Eastern countries we see the oppo- 
site extreme, that is, the principle of impersonality. 
The language; Buddhist religion, impersonal in its 
principle — whose highest happiness consists in the 
loss of the "ego," the I become a part of the whole, 
that is, to reach Nirvana; the family life with its 



The Land of the Rising Sun 391 

cult of ancestors ; the way art and nature are looked 
upon; everywhere the principle of impersonality 
reigns. Especially is it so with regard to art and 
nature. The Japanese does not separate himself 
from nature, he does not put himself on a pedestal, 
but lives in soul-union with nature. For him nature 
is divine and man nothing. In art he does not deify 
man as did the ancient Greeks, leaving us works of 
beauty. In Japanese art, if man is not merely a 
complement of nature, then he is represented rather 
in a comical light with all his peculiarities and im- 
perfections, as is shown in the netzke, the highest 
expression of Japanese realism. 

Pages can be written on this subject, but this 
much suffices to understand that we have to deal 
with a race of ancient culture, although differing 
from European. 

Now let us look at how this assimilation of Euro- 
pean ideas and understanding was accomplished and 
what changes it has wrought in the Japanese him- 
self. The change came about quite naturally. The 
leaders of Japan were convinced that they could no 
longer resist the Europeans, and this being the case 
they must themselves acquire all that which makes 
the strength of European civilization in order to 
uphold their independence and self-existence. We 
will here take occasion to say that the leaders feared 
very much that their country would be an easy prey 
of the greedy Europeans. Having decided what 
was necessary to be done, they began their work at 
once with energy. As is always the case, a mass of 
people echoed their thoughts, followed their lead, 
imitating everything European indiscriminately, 



392 The Land of the Rising Sun 

calling forth the raillery of their European teachers 
and also of the opposite camp, the Chinese, which 
they had abandoned. The Chinese, seeing the Jap- 
anese in their ridiculous costumes, said with a con- 
temptuous smile, "You cannot change your skin, 
it will always be yellow." 

But the Japanese only said to themselves, "He 
laughs best who laughs last," and continued their 
way, organizing their army on European lines, 
which, when the war with China came, showed that 
they had profited by their European lessons. When 
the time came for the revision of treaties they 
showed themselves diplomats capable of upholding 
their own against Europeans. Having obtained 
from England the abolishment of consular jurisdic- 
tion, they on their part made no concession to Euro- 
peans, who up to the present time have not the right 
to own property in Japan. Now let us see how far 
the Japanese have become European. Being con- 
vinced that they could not fight in the old way, 
with bows and arrows and covered with armor, they 
relegated the old means to the archives and put their 
soldiers in European uniforms. They have done the 
same with their fleet. They saw that to be powerful, 
to have factories and wealth, machines, railroads, 
and ships were necessary, and above all the educa- 
tion of the youth. All this they have accomplished 
and there they stopped. 

Take the Japanese in his home life. You will see 
that he wears the European costume in his office, in 
the army and navy. As soon as the chance offers 
he throws off his hated European costume with de- 
light, and squats on his heels on his matting. He 



The Land of the Rising Sun 393 

never thinks of changing the arrangement of his 
home for anything European. Many Japanese who 
have Hved long in Europe, and having become accus- 
tomed to chairs, have told me how difficult it was 
for them to get used to sit Japanese fashion when 
they returned home; "But there is nothing to be 
done," they would say. It is a mere detail, but it is 
connected with the whole Japanese life. Discarding 
one thing they would have to radically change every 
thing ; and this the Japanese do not wish to do. Let 
us listen to their arguments. A Japanese house, 
which can be built in two or three weeks, open to 
the air on all sides, with clean mattings, without 
furniture, answers much better the demands of hy- 
giene than European houses, encumbered with furni- 
ture, bric-a-brac and portieres, the breeding ground 
of microbes. A great argument is that the Japanese 
home is much cheaper than the European. The peo- 
ple are much more independent in case of misfor- 
tune, for if he loses his fortune the Japanese will 
scarcely notice it in his home — he will simply have 
a few 3'-ards of matting less, that is all. The life 
of a poor Japanese differs but little from that of a 
rich one. Certainly there are shades of difference, 
but not marked, like in Europe. When a Japanese 
takes a journey he does not require cumbersome 
baggage, like the European. With a knapsack or a 
hand-bag, he starts off, knowing that all he requires 
he will find on the way — a bath, a clean kimono after 
it, and fresh sandals, which he can purchase at every 
step for a few cents. Therefore the Japanese does 
not sacrifice his home arrangement to new tenden- 
cies. The rich Japanese make the concession of 



394 The Land o£ the Rising Sun 

having a European room in their houses or even a 
part of the house European, but nevertheless they 
Hve in the Japanese half. Will they ever change 
their home life for that of Europe? I think not. 
Already, under the influence of the reaction toward 
the national spirit, they accentuate their attachment 
to old home customs. I remember the time when 
Japanese ladies considered it a necessity to appear in 
decollete at balls, while now they wear their beauti- 
ful Japanese costumes. Architecture has also re- 
mained purely Japanese. The only European build- 
ings in the country are those built by Europeans or 
government buildings. The appearance of a Japan- 
ese town has not changed in the last thirty years. 
The Japanese as a Buddhist knows that all is transi- 
ent, and does not build like the European, for cen- 
turies. 

Let us take their state organization. Foreigners, 
hearing of Parliament, House of Lords, of parties, 
of ministers, marquises and barons, would imagine 
that Japan has been transformed into a European 
state. In reality it has remained a theocracy under 
a foreign garb, with a descendant of the gods on the 
throne, and is governed up to the present time by an 
oligarchy, like in the time of Hideyoshi, only that 
the leaders, instead of wearing the old handsome 
costumes, have donned uniforms and covered their 
breasts with decorations. 

Many expected that Japan adopting European 
culture would become Christian; but years have 
passed, missionaries of various denominations have 
received good salaries, but Christianity makes no 
great headway. 



The Land of the Rising Sun 395 

Many also thought that Japan would open wide 
her doors to foreigners. They were mistaken. Quite 
the contrary. The more she advances, the more 
she wishes to do without foreign help. The for- 
eign teachers have been dismissed with good pen- 
sions, and the youths of Japan are sent to Europe 
and America to learn all that is new there, especially 
in inventions and machinery. At the same time the 
hatred of foreigners grows, and is shown more 
clearly day by day. The undisguised rudeness of 
the younger generation to foreign women is but a 
straw showing which way the wind blows. The 
statesmen of Japan, even the Emperor himself, re- 
proached such conduct, warning them that it was 
unwise. 

Certainly there are Japanese who like everything 
foreign, but they are in the great minority. All the 
statesmen and their followers who came to the fore 
with the European tendencies will be wise enough 
not to express themselves frankly either way; but 
this hatred is instinctively felt by all those who have 
lived in the Far East. We are not speaking, of 
course, of the mass of the common people, who have 
remained as they always were, with many sympa- 
thetic traits of character; yet even they look upon 
foreigners as strange beings, a kind of monstrosity, 
and contemplate them with more curiosity than 
hatred. 

That the Japanese have not become Europeanized 
is due to the fact that after the war with China their 
conceit was unbounded. It is only necessary to read 
Professor Inouye's remarks, who has studied Euro- 
pean literature for twenty-five years. In a speech 



396 The Land of the Rising Sun 

delivered before a large crowd, he said : "In all 
countries the monarch springs from the people; in 
Japan, the land of gods, the people spring from the 
monarch who descends from the gods." Even the 
Japanese paper, the Mainichi Shimbun, reproaches 
the Japanese with this pride and conceit, saying that 
they think themselves the first nation of the world. 

What has European civilization attained in reality 
in Japan ? It has given them the possibility to defend 
their independence and individuality (which was 
never threatened) more efficiently. The proud 
motto, "Japan for the Japanese," has penetrated the 
schools and the masses. Every youngster considers 
his first duty to his Emperor, and to work toward 
the strengthening and enriching of his country and 
the safeguarding of its independence. 

What is instilled into the minds of the soldiers 
and children in the school battalions which are or- 
ganized all over Japan is seen in the following 
dialogue : 

A. — "Who is your chief?" 

B 

A 

B 
life.' 

A 

B 



— "The Emperor." 

. — "In what consists the military spirit?" 

— "In obedience and readiness to sacrifice one's 

-"What is the highest virtue?" 
— "Never to look at the number of the enemy, 



but to sfo forward." 



— "Why are there drops of blood on this flag?" 
—"It is the blood of the man who has defended 

— "What thought does this arouse in you?" 
— "That he is happy. The man is dead, but his 



A 

B 
it." 

A 

B 
glory remains. 



The Land of the Rising Sun 397 

As you see, it is the same old spirit of the samurai 
miHtary virtue, contempt for death and readiness to 
sacrifice one's self in the name of duty. Examples of 
this old samurai spirit are many. A daimio, show- 
ing a severed head to a youth, asked him if he recog- 
nized the head of his father. The youth bowed low 
and took oath that it was his father's head, after 
which he instantly committed hara-kiri. He knew 
it was not his father's head, but saved his honor 
by ending his life, and his father lived on in safety. 
Every one has heard of the time the attempt was 
made in Japan on the Russian Heir Apparent's life. 
One young girl, hearing that the Emperor was very 
much depressed over the affair, decided to commit 
suicide. Soldiers who were not taken to fight in 
the war with China committed hara-kiri. Not long 
ago an old samurai, sending his son as apprentice 
to a baker in Tokyo, separated from him with these 
words, "Remember never to make me ashamed of 
you." Some time after this the boy was accused of 
stealing, paid his wages, and dismissed. He went 
to the theatre, and later threw himself under a pass- 
ing train, having left a note for his father, saying, 
''Respected father, the accusation is false." True 
enough, the real culprit was found later. This is a 
great moral power in a nation, but to what end will 
it be directed? If it is only directed toward keeping 
the individuality of Japan it must command respect 
and admiration; but the tendencies of young Japan 
demand more. Not long ago a Japanese writer in 
the Far East published the following, "Every nation 
must have its ambitious plans ; the ambition of Japan 
is to be the torch of Asia, to spread her influence 



398 The Land of the Rising Sun 

over all the East." A French writer attributes to 
Count Okuma the proud thought that "J^P^"- will 
not only equal Europe, but surpass it, and that time 
is not far off when the European states will be a 
crumbling mass of ruins." I leave to Mr. Martin 
("Le Japon Nouveau") the responsibility for this 
quotation, but for my part I can say that such ambi- 
tious views are nothing extraordinary to me who 
have lived long in Japan. I remember a conversa- 
tion I once had with a Japanese statesman on the 
subject of lyeyasu. I volunteered the remark that 
lyeyasu at the time was perhaps right in closing 
Japan to foreigners and safeguarding by this means 
the independence of Japan. His answer was, "Is it 
certain that lyeyasu did not stop the advance of 
Japan, which in conquering China would have be- 
come the greatest and most powerful country in the 
world?" 

The ambitious plans of the future greatness of 
Japan fill so many books and papers of the country 
that it is difficult to choose among them. The mis- 
sion of Japan, according to one Japanese magazine, 
is "To civilize Europe and to reconstruct on Japan- 
ese lines its moral and religious life. Europe," it 
says, "is deeply immoral and egoism appears in all 
her actions. We see only the pursuit of money and 
pleasure. What a contrast Japan represents, with 
her simplicity, moderation, disinterestedness, hon- 
esty and heroism. All the virtues have congregated 
in our nation, and for this reason she is called upon 
to dominate over all other nations in the name of 
honesty and valor." Dreams are dreams ; neverthe- 
less, Japan has done something toward the realiza- 



The Land of the Rising Sun 399 

tion of these plans. Let us review her policy in 
China, which has completely changed since the war. 
Instead of trying to subjugate her by force, she has 
put forth all her strength to dominate China through 
influence, and we can say that she has succeeded. 
Where does China send her youth to study sciences 
and military art? — To Japan. Who, in China, is 
at the head of the educational department? — The 
Japanese, who have even founded a Japanese Univer- 
sity, in Pekin, for Chinese students. What type of 
school do the Chinese imitate at the present time ? — 
Japanese schools. Who are invited by progressive 
Governors to found schools in the provinces ? — The 
Japanese. I think this is sufficient, but it is not all. 
The Japanese propagate the idea of Pan-Mongol- 
ism or Pan-Asiatism, and write pamphlets and form 
societies for this purpose. "]d.])an," it is stated in 
these pamphlets, "will take upon herself to form a 
league of Asiatic powers against the domination of 
the white race." These pamphlets are read by the 
Chinese Emperor, in the palaces of the monarchs of 
Asia, and in the poor hovels — wherever the white 
race has humbled the other races. Japanese emis- 
saries work to this end in China, Annam, Philip- 
pines, India. The youth of these countries, educated 
by Japanese, become imbued with the idea of one 
day fighting against the white race. The center of 
this propaganda is certainly Tokyo, where the 
youth from all parts of Asia flock together. In 
Tokyo you will also find the Teodabun, whose evan- 
gelism is the following: ist. The fraternity of the 
yellow race ; 2d. The superiority of the yellow race 
over the white ; 3d. The necessity of a yellow league 



400 The Land of the Rising Sun 

under the leadership of Japan; 4th. The creation of 
a great state which would expel the white race from 
Asia. The highest officials and princes of the blood 
are at the head of this Teodabun. 

To judge of the style of these conferences we can 
cite the following from one of their publications. 
"China," it is said, "can attain, not only indepen- 
dence, but be freed from the oppressions of Europe, 
if she will with Japan's aid introduce some reforms." 
Mr. Meredith Townsend in his remarkable book, 
"Asia and Europe," proves very clearly that Japan 
aspires to be the leader of the yellow and brown men 
in casting Europe headlong out of the mother conti- 
nent. The propagandists of the Pan-Asiatic society 
tell the people but the simple truth when they relate 
that three times has Asia flung back the Europeans, 
and that what was possible in the time of Alexander 
the Great, the Romans, and the Crusaders is possible 
again, as Asia on the basis of German subscription 
has eighty million of potential soldiers, "and not 
only in the military but in a commercial sense Asia 
can outstrip Europe and America." 

Who knows ? Maybe Japan will succeed in uplift- 
ing the whole of Asia, arm her with European arms, 
and invent some new and terrible explosives. These 
myriads will be armed from head to foot according 
to European methods ; but the question remains, will 
they not remain alien to the real European spirit 
and to Christianity? What will be said then by 
those who now proclaim that Japan is fighting in 
the name of civilization? In the spreading of this 
very idea the Japanese have shown that they 
have learned something from Europe, and they have 



The Land of the Rising Sun 401 

succeeded in hypnotizing the pubHc opinion of 
Europe and America. Japanese diplomats went to 
work to gain sympathy in the leading circles in 
Europe and America, and to this end spared neither 
money nor efforts. The Japanese well knew that 
if they were to realize their dream of a great future 
they must proceed with caution, and above all not 
show their cards too clearly, as they could not with- 
stand the combined forces of Europe and America; 
that they must profit by the dissensions between 
European powers. They knew very well that Russia 
owing to her natural strength, aroused the enmity 
and suspicion of many European powers, therefore 
the first blow was aimed at Russia. If they should 
succeed in breaking this power, or even weaken- 
ing it, and thus raise the prestige of Japan in all 
Asia, that would already be a great result. Then 
would follow the turn of other nations, for has 
not Germany, Shantung; England, Wei-hai-wei 
and Hongkong, etc. 

Let there be no illusion ! We are living through 
a significant moment of human history and are con- 
templating the first act of the struggle of Asia 
against the European spirit. 



JUL 271905^ 



